Flood likely in Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum in next 48 hours

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Flood Commission has said a flood-like situation was expected in rivers Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Chenab including Jhelum (inflows at Mangla) during the next 48 hours.

According to daily FFC report Friday, the discharge in rivers Sutlej and Ravi at rim stations will depend upon the floodwater releases from dams located in the Indian territory. Medium flood flows were also expected in the ‘nullahs’ ie tributaries of rivers Ravi and Chenab including hill torrents of DG Khan Division, besides, medium to high flows in the local ‘nullahs’ of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the said period. River Indus in “Tarbela-Sukkur Reach” and River Kabul in “Warsak-Nowshera Reach” are flowing in low flood.

All other main rivers (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej) are flowing normal.

On Friday, combined live storage of three major reservoirs was 10.963 MAF ie 80.12% of the maximum combined live storage capacity. Tarbela Dam has attained the level of 1,547.19 feet against the maximum conservation level of 1,550.00 feet.

On Thursday, well-marked monsoon low over North Madhya Pradesh (India) lies over Northeast Rajasthan (India), injecting moist current from Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea into the upper catchments of Rivers Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and to some extent River Jhelum and north-northeastern Punjab. Trough of westerly wave continues to prevail over northeastern Afghanistan. Seasonal low still persists over northern Balochistan. Moist currents from the Arabian Sea are penetrating into upper parts of the country up to 5000 feet and may become strong.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Lahore, widespread thunderstorm/rain with scattered heavy falls and very heavy falls at isolated places is expected over Punjab (Rawalpindi & Gujranwala Divisions), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar, Kohat & Bannu Divisions), besides, upper catchments of Rivers Kabul, Indus & Jhelum during the next 24 hours.

Scattered thunderstorm/ rain with isolated heavy falls may also occur over upper catchments of rivers Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej including Sargodha, Lahore & Bahawalpur Divisions of Punjab, besides, isolated thunderstorm/rain over Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan & DG Khan Divisions (Punjab), DI Khan Division (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and eastern Balochistan during the same period.

Widespread thunderstorm/rain with scattered heavy to very heavy falls and extremely heavy falls at isolated places is expected over the upper catchments of rivers Sutlej, Beas, Ravi & Chenab and to some extent the catchment area of River Jhelum including northeastern Punjab during the next 48 hours.

Scattered thunderstorm/ rain with isolated heavy falls and one or two extremely heavy falls may occur over DG Khan Division. Scattered thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity is expected over Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal & Multan Divisions) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu & DI Khan Divisions). Flood-like situation is expected in rivers Sutlej, Beas, Ravi & Chenab including Jhelum (inflows at Mangla) during the said period.