The Sutlej River continued to see “high” flood levels at Islam and Ganda Singh Wala Headworks on Saturday.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), the flow of water at Islam Headworks at 1pm today was 147,230 cusecs, nearly three times the normal flow, while it was recorded at 122,326 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala Headworks.

At the same time, the flood level at the Sulemanki headworks was “medium”, with the flow of water at 83,720 cusecs.

A river situation forecast stated that the Indus River was at “low” flood level at Kalabagh, Chashma and Guddu headworks.

The forecast stated that “scattered wind thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls” was expected over the upper catchments of all major rivers during the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a weekly weather outlook by the FFD stated that no high flood situation was expected in any of the major rivers except the Sutlej River.

In the latest update, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) spokesperson has drawn attention to the alarming situation in affected areas, notably along the Indus River and its tributaries.

The spokesperson highlighted that both the Head Islam dam and Gandha Singh area were grappling with significant flooding. The water inflow at the Head Islam has surged to a concerning 151,000 cusecs, while Ganda Singh is witnessing a flow of 122,000 cusecs.

Additionally, Sulemanki is currently facing a mid-level flood, while lower-level flooding affects Kalabagh and Chashma along the Indus River. It was underscored by the spokesperson that effective management had kept the Chenab, Ravi, and Jhelum rivers within normal flow ranges.

The spokesperson advised the public against engaging in recreational activities in urban rivers and streams to prevent accidents.

He reassured that the PDMA was closely monitoring the situation, including river dynamics, dams, and watercourses. For updates, residents were encouraged to utilise the emergency helplines established by the PDMA.

The spokesperson also cautioned about an impending increase in water influx from India due to further rainfall.

Regarding the situation, the PDMA spokesperson called for heightened vigilance, especially in districts like Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, and Multan.

Alarm over state of Indian dams

Meanwhile, Nabeel Javed, Relief Commissioner Punjab, expressed concerns about the current state of Indian dams. He advised all agencies to remain on high alert.

He further urged the relevant administrative bodies to ensure the complete cessation of encroachments along river routes.

Javed also stressed the importance of sharing information with local populations to ensure their mental preparedness, providing explicit directives to officials.

Separately, Punjab Livestock Minister Ibrahim Murad conducted a visit to the Vehari district. He directed officials to employ all available resources in extending comprehensive assistance to those affected by the floods, a statement released by his office said.

Notably, the combined capacity of the Headworks Islam and Headworks Mailsi Saifan is capable of accommodating water passage exceeding 700,000 cubic feet, the statement added.

Minister Murad highlighted that the flooding at the Islam Headworks had reached a higher level, while Headworks Mailsi Saifan was experiencing a moderate level of flooding.

He revealed that the aftermath of the flooding resulted in the submersion of 77 villages in the Vehari district, with over 99 per cent of the population having been safely relocated to secure areas.

Murad further informed that the district was presently engaged in 13 rescue operations, with 105 rescuers actively aiding the general public.

The minister conveyed that the successful relocation of a total of 29,680 individuals to safe locations had been accomplished so far.

He added that at least 20 flood relief camps had been established in the Vehari district.

A day ago, nearly 8,500 people and 350 animals were evacuated over 24 hours from several flood-hit districts of Punjab as water continued to discharge at high speeds at different sites of the Sutlej River.

Punjab interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had also visited a flood-affected village near Okara district’s Attari to review the water situation in the Sutlej River. He had noted that 278,000 cusecs of water had arrived in the river after 35 years.