Unlike previous floods: Widespread downpour caused unprecedented floods

LAHORE: Unlike previous floods in major rivers, widespread downpour has caused unprecedented floods in rivulets and hill-torrents, playing havoc of unimaginable proportions on human lives, property and standing crops.

Record-breaking inflows in rivulets and hill-torrents have broken all previous record, making flood entirely different in the ongoing season from one typically used to hit upper catchment area through main rivers. It is more of floods in regional areas of all provinces, primarily in the lower Indus basin and adjoining zones. For instance, water levels in most of hill torrents and rivulets emanating from Balochistan entered South Punjab broke previous record, said an official.

In some cases, the over three lack cusecs discharge was collectively seen in overflowing streams that eventually joined mighty Indus River in South Punjab. These extraordinary floods in the last fortnight in 2022 have smashed flow mark recorded in Super Flood of 2010. According to official data, there were all-time high flows in Sanghar hill-torrent of 268,140 cusecs, 158,262 cusecs recorded in Vidova, 108,067 cusecs in Kaha and 66,000 cusecs in Chachar stream in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts.