LAHORE/NAROWAL: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a warning of medium to high flood in the river Ravi following release of 171,797 cusecs water from India on Monday.

The NDMA alerted all the departments concerned to ensure precautionary measures to avoid any loss of lives and damage to private and public property.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, India released water from Ujh Barrage on Ravi which would reach Jassar on Tuesday (today).

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi chaired a meeting to review the alert issued by the NDMA and directed the authorities to ensure evacuation of population along the river banks.

The meeting also decided to install advanced radars in Lahore and Sialkot to monitor the flood situation in the Ravi.

The CM also ordered provision of tents, food and other equipment to the displaced.

Earlier, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a flood alert to all the departments, including irrigation, food, communication and works, agriculture, local government and community development, HUD and PHE, and primary and secondary healthcare.

The PDMA ordered immediate mobilisation of flood fighting and rescue and relief teams with required machinery and equipment, provision of food hampers for stranded families, evacuation of livestock and provision of fodder.

It said residents of most vulnerable areas should be shifted to temporary relief camps/safe places as and when required; necessary arrangements for provision of cooked food by the district administration should be ensured in relief camps. In order to avoid outbreak of epidemics, medical teams be mobilised for the provision of first aid to the affected.

Meanwhile, the spate in Dek and Ojh drains from India flooded 48 villages in Narowal and Sialkot districts.

Dek’s water discharge was almost 40,000 cusecs against 25,000 cusecs flow capacity. Water affected paddy and fodder fields.

Naeem Akhtar, District Emergency Officer, Rescue 1122, Narowal, said four farmers, residents of Biharwal village in Shakargarh tehsil, who were working in the fields on the other side of the Ravi, were stuck in flood in the river.

He said Rescue 1122 responded timely and rescued the farmers who had climbed up trees.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022