River Indus in high flood at Kot Mithan

KOT MITHAN: Residents of low-lying areas moved to safer locations due to flow of high flood in River Indus at Kot Mithan.

River is flowing in medium flood at Rajanpur and DG Khan while more than 200 villages submerged in Rojhan and Laiya.

Torrential rains and flash floods have hit various villages and cities across the country, forcing the authorities to declare an emergency and issue alerts.

According to the NDMA and Met Office, flash floods wreaked havoc in Chitral, Rajanpur, Awaran and Ghotki, forcing residents to shift to safer locations while leaving behind their belongings and property, including livestock.

Glacial lake outbursts, cloud outbursts and flash floods hit different parts of district Chitral at midnight on July 16, 2015, causing extensive damage to houses, mosques, bridges, roads, irrigation and water channels. The communication infrastructure was also severely affected.

The situation may worsen as the Met Office on Monday warned that there would be a risk of flash flooding in the local streams and nullahs of Punjab, upper KP, eastern Balochistan and Kashmir during the next three days due to unstable weather conditions and significant monsoon rains. It also advised the people living in the low-lying areas along streams and nullahs to remain careful during that period. In south Punjab, over 100 villages were submerged in floodwater, which created problems for villagers and animals.

According to weather experts, widespread rain/ thundershowers are expected in Islamabad, Kashmir as well as Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Hazara divisions. Scattered rain/ thundershowers are predicted in Malakand, Peshawar, Mardan,divisions along with Fata and Gilgit-Baltistan. Isolated rain/ thundershower is also expected in Bannu, DI Khan, Sibbi, Kalat, Naseerabad, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas Division.

Earlier, a state of emergency was announced soon after flash floods hit various villages of Chitral, as army and local administration started rescue operation. Similarly, various villages in Rajanpur, Ghotki, Awaran and other areas were also hit by floods, submerging various villages and forcing residents to flee for their life.

Four villages in Rawaki near the Kacha area of Ghotki were completely inundated while more than 50 villages in Guddu remained cut-off from the rest of the country. High level flood recorded in Indus River at the location of Chachra in Rahim Yar Khan, officials say on Monday. Indus and Chenab River meet the point of Chachra where the gauge level in 10.60.

According to District Flood Control Room, a stream of 2, 60,000 cusec water is passing through the river with a flood warning issued in Indus River. Various rivers - Jhelum, Sutlej, Kabul and Indus - have been witnessing medium to high level floods at various points and the authorities have directed the staff concerned on duty to remain alert to cope with any emergency.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has directed Chief Engineer Civil & Works and Chief Engineer Public Health Engineering Department to reach Chitral in support of district administration for immediate restoration of roads, bridges and water supply schemes.

High-level flood was recorded in River Indus as many villages were inundated in Rahim Yar Khan, Layyah and Rajanpur, as the authorities asked people to shift to safer places amid the threat of more flooding in the next few days.

According to the Met Office, a high-level flood was passing through Tounsa Barrage, while flow of water at Shahdara in River Ravi was 50,044 cusec feet and 63,832 cusec feet in river Jhelum. Low to medium level flood was also passing through river Kabul at Nowshera while a flood-like situation was also witnessed in Indus River at Kala Bagh.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to take immediate relief and rescue measures to help the people affected by flooding in nullahs after heavy rains in the Koh-e-Suleman area of Rajanpur district. He also directed to monitor flood situation round the clock across the province.

Flood control rooms have been established at Guddu and Sukkur Barrages to monitor the situation. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the deputy commissioners to evacuate people from the Katcha area of river Indus.

The Chief Minister stressed upon the people of Katcha areas of Larkana and Sukkur divisions to evacuate the Katcha areas for their own safety. He has also directed to set up control room in Sindh Secretariat Karachi to monitor the situation on hourly basis.

In Zhob district of Balochistan, Frontier Corps Balochistan has started rescue and relief activities in the flood affected areas of Mir Ali Khel. It rescued twelve people including women and children, stranded in flood tide. Nine vehicles were also rescued.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has directed the deputy commissioner Chitral to utilize the relief funds for relief activities with an objective to provide relief to the people affected by flash floods and heavy rains in Chitral district.

According to PDMA, the district administration of Chitral has started restoration of cut-off sites from limited available resources and the deputy commissioner has been authorized to utilize the relief fund for relief activities.

While 12 persons including two children were killed and four others injures in rain related incidents in Lahore, Thatta and Chitral on Saturday and Monday. Over six persons including women and children were killed in roof collapse in Chitral and its vicinity during heavy rain.