HYDERABAD, March 31: The water flow downstream Sukkur Barrage has increased to around 90,000 cusecs due to recent rains.

This was stated by the chief engineer, irrigation, Kotri Barrage, Hyderabad, Manzoor Ahmad Shaikh, here on Wednesday.

He hoped that discharge at upstream Kotri Barrage would increase to 40,000 cusecs within the next few days. He said the present requirement of Kotri Barrage canals was around 20,000 cusecs. He added that the Keenjhar Lake level would be raised to RL54 and the water would be supplied to Karachi and Thatta.

He said the River Indus water reaching the Kotri Barrage was in excess to the actual requirement of the barrage canals and as such, 10,000 to 15,000 cusecs would be released downstream Kotri Barrage which would benefit the riverine area.

Mr Shaikh said no water would be released into the Pinyari Canal because it had been closed for April for rehabilitation work.