ISLAMABAD: The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has alerted the provinces as well as other concerned authorities about rising water flows at different water courses with Indus touching its low flood point and Kabul climbing to medium range flooding.
At present, the Indus is at low flood but its level having an increasing trend with rise in temperature in the Glacier and rain in its catchment areas whereas other rivers such as Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi are normal.
The FFC told the provinces in the alert for the coming days and weeks that Kabul is continually rising up and presently it is at medium range flood at Warsak-Nowshera. Swat River is at low flood stage.
Tarbela and Mangla dams are at elevations of 1445.54 feet and 1136.05 ft respectively, which are 104.46 ft and 105.95 ft below their highest level of conserving 1550.00 ft and 1242.00 ft.
“The heavy rains and glacier melting could even bring the major rallies up to 15,00,000 cusecs a day with the Tarbela, presently, having enough space to absorb the water quantum but only for a week or some more days,” an official at flood warning centre told this correspondent.
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), having operational command of the dams, would have to manage the flows keeping in view the water availability as well as to save the population from floods, he maintained.
The official said that the Tarbela, Chashma and Mangla reservoirs’ collective storage is 3.219 maf in comparison with 5.520 maf of last year’s on July 12-13. “Mainly the Kabul River water does unchecked because of having no major dam on it and it often causes flooding.”
The official said while quoting the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) that westerly wave over northeastern Afghanistan lies over northern parts. “Well marked Seasonal Low lies over northwestern Balochistan.
Most current from Arabian Sea is penetrating Kashmir and upper Punjab upto 5000 Ft. The weather system is being closely monitored by the Meteorological Department, according to daily report.
Widespread thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls is expected over Lahore, Sahiwal, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad & Rawalpindi divisions, besides Kashmir, upper catchments of rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej in next 24 hours, an official communication provides. Scattered thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls may also occur over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Southern Punjab and northeastern Balochistan including Bahawalpur division, besides upper catchment of river Indus during the same period.