MANSEHRA: The management of the Suki Kinari hydropower project has launched a public awareness drive about flash floods and the opening of spillways to discharge excess water during the summer season.

“We are expecting the onset of summer almost two months ahead as compared to previous patterns, which may cause rains and floods in the Kaghan Valley, which also did not receive heavy snowfall this winter,” Ahsan Khan, head of the awareness campaign, told reporters on Friday.

He said that brochures and pamphlets were being distributed to sensitise the people living downstream along the Kunhar River to the mechanism under which the project’s management would operate and open floodgates to release surplus water.

“Our drive aims to create awareness among residents of Kaghan and other parts of Balakot tehsil to remain cautious during the rainy season, particularly during floods, and to keep themselves and their livestock away from the riverside, as we may open the floodgates in emergencies,” Mr Khan said.

He urged people to pass on the message to their relatives, neighbours, and tourists visiting Kaghan Valley, advising them to avoid going near riverbanks.

“People should not swim in the Kunhar River and its tributaries during summer as a precautionary measure for their own and their families’ safety,” he added.

Mr Khan also advised people to avoid going near the spillways and their surroundings.

Meanwhile, the upper parts of the Hazara division received rain on Friday, making the weather pleasant.

The rain started in scattered areas of Mansehra and other parts of Hazara, and continued intermittently throughout the day.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026