KARACHI, Aug 23: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has said that India may release water towards Pakistan in the next few days because its reservoirs on the Sutlej river are now almost full to capacity. Dawn

PMD chief Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry told that the present meteorological situation suggested that the Indian reservoirs on the Sutlej were nearing their maximum conservation level and it was likely to release water in the coming days.

He said that as a result the Sutlej at the G.S. Wala might record rise in water flow which would cause inundation of low-lying areas along the river in Pakistan.

He said the local authorities should take precautionary measures and warn people residing in the riverbed to move out.

He said that an official warning from the Met office would be issued as soon as any information from India was received about the release of water. RAVI RIVER

: He said that the increased flow in the Ravi had been mainly because of incessant rains in the area below Madhopur and the catchments areas of nullahs of the river on the Indian side of the border.

He said that India had not yet released any substantial amount of water from Madhopur.

He said the data from the Thein dam on the river suggested that India might not release water in the river in the next seven days. However, any release from India after rains in catchments of nullahs of the river may cause low or medium flood in the Ravi in the three to four days.