MANSEHRA: The management of the Suki Kinari hydropower station has asked the people living along streams and the Kunhar River to shift to safer places to avoid any unpleasant incident, as it could open the spillways of the reservoir anytime following a sharp increase in water inflows caused by heavy rainfall in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley.

According to the warning, the water level in the reservoir has reached a critical level, a yellow alert has been issued, and the spillways could be opened anytime.

The management said the discharge would range between 16 and 180 cubic metres per second.

The warning stated that the increased discharge could cause a sharp rise in the Kunhar River and its tributaries downstream, posing a threat to human life, livestock and property.

People living along rivers, streams asked to shift to safer places

“Strictly follow the district administration’s advisories, avoid crossing rivers and streams, and keep away from riverbanks in Kaghan Valley and downstream areas,” it said.

The warning also advised residents living downstream to move to safer locations away from rivers and streams to avoid any emergency arising from the increased water discharge and possible flooding.

Meanwhile, Balakot assistant commissioner Hasrat Khan told reporters on Tuesday that additional police personnel had already been deployed along the Kunhar River and other vulnerable locations to ensure that residents and tourists stayed away from the river and streams.

“Tourists should avoid unnecessary adventures, particularly driving vehicles through flooded roads or entering swollen streams anywhere in Kaghan Valley. During the monsoon season, water levels can rise suddenly to dangerous levels,” he said.

EXAM CENTRES SOUGHT: Parents and candidates appearing in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission (KPPSC) examination for the posts of female secondary school teachers (general) have demanded that the government establish examination centres at the divisional level, if not in every district, to spare them the hassle of travelling to Peshawar for the purpose.

“We have gathered at the central bus terminal to travel to Peshawar to appear in the examination to be held at 10am, but there is an acute shortage of passenger vehicles due to people’s rush,” a woman candidate told Dawn at the terminal in the early hours here on Tuesday.

Parents and candidates were seen rushing to board passenger wagons as transport operators struggled to accommodate the large number of travellers heading to Peshawar to sit the KPPSC examination.

“KPPSC collects examination fees from every candidate appearing in the tests across the province, but it has failed to establish examination centres in Hazara division, placing an additional financial burden and causing unnecessary hardship for candidates,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026