ISLAMABAD/LAHORE:
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in coordination with the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), has launched precautionary evacuation efforts for communities along River Sutlej following a sharp surge in water levels.
According to the National Emergency Operations Center, the discharge at Harike rose to 122,890 cusecs early Friday morning. Water flow continues to increase at Ganda Singh Wala and is expected to reach 120,000 cusecs, while at Head Suleimanki it may approach 100,000 cusecs.
A fresh monsoon system is forecast to enter the upper regions of the country from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal starting Saturday night, followed by a westerly wave from August 23. The eighth spell of the monsoon is expected to bring heavy rainfall over the upper catchment areas of River Sutlej, heightening flood risks.
Officials said water levels in the Sutlej are expected to rise sharply within the next 24 hours due to heavy monsoon rains and water releases from Indian reservoirs.
The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) Lahore reported that Indus River at Guddu is likely to experience high flood, while Sukkur is expected to see medium flood levels.
Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala is forecast to carry 70,000-80,000 cusecs, categorised as medium flood, while Taunsa Barrage may also face medium flood conditions.
Nationwide, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that from June 26 to August 21, monsoon-related incidents have claimed 771 lives and left 993 people injured. Punjab recorded 165 fatalities and 584 injuries, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 465 deaths and 279 injuries, Sindh 42 deaths, Azad Kashmir 23, Gilgit-Baltistan 45 and Islamabad eight.
More than 4,700 houses were damaged or destroyed, 661 kilometres of roads and 234 bridges were affected, while over 5,400 livestock perished. In the past 24 hours alone, 24 deaths, 15 injuries, 345 damaged houses and 380 livestock losses were reported, mostly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner, Swat and Swabi districts due to flash floods and landslides.
Relief operations are ongoing, with 482 relief camps established nationwide, sheltering over 29,000 displaced people and providing food and medical aid.
