Rising Indus threatens vast areas in 2 provinces

Published August 1, 2015
The Indus would have a flow ranging between 650,000 and 750,000 cusecs at Sukkur from Sunday to Tuesday.—APP/File
The Indus would have a flow ranging between 650,000 and 750,000 cusecs at Sukkur from Sunday to Tuesday.—APP/File

LAHORE: The Indus is likely to be in high or very high flood at Guddu from Saturday onwards and the situation will continue for about a week, according to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD).

It said on Friday that the Indus would have a flow ranging between 650,000 and 750,000 cusecs (denoting high to very high flood) at Sukkur from Sunday to Tuesday and the situation would persist for about seven days.

This was likely to be the highest flow (peak) to be recorded at the two points during the current monsoon season, the FFD said.

Know more: Act first, report later during flood relief efforts: COAS

The Federal Flood Com­mission warned that low-lying areas along the Indus in Punjab (parts of Multan and districts Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajan­pur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahimyar Khan) and Sindh (Ghotki, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Khair­pur and Larkana districts) were likely to be affected adversely.

It advised the authorities concerned to take precautionary measures to avoid loss of life and minimise damage to private and public property.


Irrigation officials asked to ensure round-the-clock patrolling of embankments


It urged the irrigation officials in the two provinces to ensure round-the-clock pat­ro­lling of flood embankments and make necessary arrangements for dealing with floodwaters at vulnerable points.

In its forecast, the Pakis­tan Meteorological Dep­art­ment said more rain was expected across the country during the first fortnight of August, resulting in high river flow.

It said that the monsoon system was likely to remain active in the first week of August, producing widespread rain of moderate to heavy intensity, with one or two extreme events over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

The extreme rainfall might generate urban and flash floods in these areas.

The monsoonal activity would gradually decrease during the second week of the month, but there would be scattered rain with isolated heavy rainfall in lower Sindh and northern parts of the country.

There could be isolated rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, lower Sindh, Punjab, northeast Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the second fortnight of the month.

The FFD has forecast scattered thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy rainfall in upper catchments of all major rivers along Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northeast Balochistan in the next 24 hours. Isolated thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity was likely in Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan.

It said that high water flow was likely in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan division during the period. The flows are also likely to increase in the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.

Meanwhile, it continued to rain in different parts of the country on Friday. Multan received 42mm of rain, Balakot and Bahawalnagar 26mm (each), Sahiwal 22mm, Bahawalpur (city 20mm and airport 8mm), Kot Addu 15mm, Okara 11mm, and Barkhan and Kotli 9mm (each).

The Punjab government reported floods in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan division. It said the irrigation minister had taken notice of a breach in a Sargodha canal and had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...