NAROWAL: Authorities have issued a flood warning in the river Chenab due to the opening of the spillway gates of the Salal Dam in India.

Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali told Dawn that an advisory was issued by India in view of the possibility of silt flushing at the Salal Dam on the Chenab from May 21 to 30.

She said that according to reports, the water level in the Chenab may rise by two to three metres due to the opening of the spillway gates of the dam by India.

She said that in view of the rising water levels, a high alert had been issued for the Marala Barrage and adjacent areas, especially Bajwat.

The deputy commissioner appealed to the citizens to avoid unnecessary visits to the rivers and canals. She said that citizens should ensure the implementation of safety measures and added that the district emergency control room had also been activated.

The DC also directed all the departments concerned to ensure 24-hour monitoring of the river as well as restrict public movement on the banks of the Chenab and not allow them to take animals into the river bed.

In the advisory, the DC had also ordered to keep the barrage gates, telemetry system and flood safety arrangements fully functional, and to continuously monitor the canal system and water flow.

She issued instructions to the relevant departments to keep a close watch on the possible flood situation.

The deputy commissioner also assigned the Pera Force to monitoring duties in the area. She had directed authorities to make the communication between the PDMA, meteorological department and other district institutions more effective and to immediately report any unusual situation, sudden increase in water or grey flow.

The DC said that citizens should avoid going near rivers and canals and contact the Sialkot district administration helpline 0529250011 for information and guidance.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026