ISLAMABAD; The Ministry of Water Resources has confirmed that India has alerted Pakistan about “high-level” flooding downstream at Harike and Ferozepur on the Sutlej River.
According to the ministry’s notification, the flood data was recorded at 8am today. Following this, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a statement warning of a possible surge in water flow along the Sutlej.
Meanwhile, the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) reported that Panjnad Headworks on the Chenab River was witnessing a “very high flood level,” with waters moving downstream towards Sindh.
As of 3pm, outflows at Panjnad approached 600,000 cusecs, around 100,000 cusecs higher than the morning level. Guddu Barrage on the Indus River continued to experience a “medium” flood, with outflows above 380,000 cusecs. Both sites showed a rising trend in water levels.
The Punjab PDMA warned that the high flood situation reported at Harike and Ferozepur on the Sutlej would directly impact downstream districts. District administrations have been instructed to activate early warning systems, ensure timely dissemination of evacuation and safety information, reinforce embankments, and pre-position heavy earth-moving machinery at choke points. Rescue 1122 has also been placed on alert, with directives to secure essential food supplies.
Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast “rain-wind/thundershowers with moderate to heavy falls, and isolated very heavy downpours” in Karachi starting this evening. The spell is expected to last until Thursday, September 11, with intermittent breaks.
The Met Office also predicted widespread rain and thunderstorms with scattered heavy to very heavy showers in Sindh’s Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, and Jamshoro districts through Thursday.
Similarly, Larkana, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Sukkur, Jacobabad, and Ghotki districts are forecast to receive widespread rain with moderate to heavy falls in the same period.
Meanwhile, it is alsoreported that fresh rains have already begun in Umerkot, Tharparkar, and Tando Muhammad Khan.
