PESHAWAR, June 24: The River Kabul was in high floods at Nowshera and irrigation officials expect further increase in its level during the next 24 hours. According to sources, Kander Koroona area near Serdaryab, on the outskirts of Peshawar, had been inundated.

NWFP Relief Commissioner Ghulam Farooq Jilani told Dawn that the army’s engineering corps had been approached to launch a rescue operation to evacuate the marooned people.

An Irrigation Department official quoted data released by the Flood Forecasting Division, Lahore, and said the water flow could reach the 130,000 cusecs mark at Nowshera, which could cause serious damage in areas along the river banks.

Officials said River Kabul was close to high floods at Warsak Dam, where the total outflow was recorded at 99,650 cusecs at 3pm. However, water discharge reduced to 93,310 cusecs at about 7am.

River Swat was flowing at 36,000 cusecs at Munda, river Shahalam, an offshoot of river Kabul, is in high flood with a total discharge of 15,000 cusecs and river Khaili flow was recorded at 51,203 cusecs.

Senior government officials, meanwhile, are sceptical about the flood situation being portrayed by the media and some ministers.

They disputed reports about massive damage and displacement of population as a result of flood.

“Water levels on all rivers are certainly high, but it has not caused widespread damage in any part of the three districts so far. Statements by ministers and the electronic media have caused chaos,” said an official.

The Flood Relief Commission officials said about 50 mud houses were reportedly slightly damaged in three districts, but no report about casualty had been received so far.