Heavy flash floods enter southern Punjab

LAHORE: India has started releasing water in the River Sutlej, while a heavy flood has entered the southern Punjab, killing seven persons and submerging dozens of villages.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Friday issued a fresh alert about the new wave of floods in various parts of the country. As per the Met Office, there is a threat of glacial lake outburst flood as a result of severe weather system, which is likely to persist in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. It has a potential to produce flooding particularly in Bagrot, Bindogol and Golain valleys, the alert added. Local communities have been advised to remain alert and take precautionary measures.
Similarly, as per another advisory issued by the Flood Forecasting Division of the Met Office, the flow in River Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala is likely to increase by 10-15,000 cusecs after 48 hours. It was learnt that India had started releasing water into the River Sutlej from dams, leading to flow of water towards Pakistan. On the other hand, a sharp peak of high flood is expected in River Jhelum at Mangla (upstream).
The River Indus at Chashma, Taunsa, Guddu and River Kabul at Nowshera are in medium flood level. The River Indus at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Sukkur, River Chenab at Khanki and River Ravi at Sidhnai are in low flood level.
Moderate to heavy rain is expected in the catchment areas of River Kabul and its tributaries in the next 24 hours. Scattered thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls is expected over Sindh and upper catchments of all the major rivers in the Punjab, KP and northeast Balochistan. Rainfall of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls is also expected over the hill torrents of DG Khan Division.
According to the forecast, widespread rains have been predicted in the country during Sunday to Thursday. Strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate in upper parts of Pakistan during the next three to four days that may interact with the westerly

wave over upper KP (Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, and Peshawar divisions), upper Fata (Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai and Kurram agencies), upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions), Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from Sunday to Tuesday. Widespread rains with scattered heavy at times to very heavy falls over the areas are expected during the period.
Owing to strong monsoon currents, during the next three to four days, widespread rains with scattered to heavy at times to very heavy falls in Sindh (Sukkur, Larkana, Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions), southern Punjab (DG Khan, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions), eastern Balochistan (Zhob, Sibi and Nasirabad divisions) and southern KP (DI Khan division) are expected from Monday to Thursday.
The Met Office has asked the authorities concerned that heavy rains may generate flash flooding and urban flooding in vulnerable areas and, therefore, precautionary measures should be taken accordingly.
Agencies add: The Pakistan Army troops continued flood relief and rescue operations in Chitral, GB and southern Punjab.
In Chitral, 17.5 tons of ration has been distributed so far and 164 affected people were rescued by two MI-17 helicopters from Rambur, Kurggh, Birri, Bumboret and Chashma and taken to safer places. The N-45 road has been opened by the army engineers for all types of traffic till Chitral, whereas the road from Chitral and Buni is open for light traffic only. Work on the Chitral-Bubmoret Road is in progress. The Buni-Masting Road is also being repaired.
About 40 kilometres of damaged road in district Astore in GB has been repaired by the army engineers and restoration of roads in districts Hunza, Skardu, Khaplu and Ghanche is in progress. Four relief/medical camps have been established at Shiger, Khaplu and Hunza. Tents have been pitched and cooked food is being provided to the affected people in relief camps. Cooked food was also provided to over 2,000 families in Waziristan/Shigar and sufficient quantity of oil provided to the affected people of Khaplu.
Relief goods were also provided to affected people in Hisper in Hunza district.In southern Punjab, 71 persons were rescued at Jhakr Imam in the DG Khan area while the army troops along with boats, out boat motions (OBMs) and life jackets have been employed at likely flood places in Rajanpur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and Layyah. Two medical camps have been established at Rajanpur and Layyah.The army troops in collaboration with the civil administration have evacuated 13,893 people in Rahim Yar Khan, Sadiqabad, Khanpur and Liaqatpur during the last two days.