PAKPATTAN: Flooding in Sutlej River has broken protective dykes and submerged several villages.
The land link of several villages has disrupted in flooding in Sutlej forcing people to evacuate from their homes on their own without support from the authorities. Flood affected people are trying to stop floodwater and save their villages on their own.
Hundreds of acres farmland with standing crops has submerged in the water. Several settlements including Shahoo Baloch, Baqarki, Mari Amb, Kot Bakhsha, Bheni Noor Jahanian and other villages have been under flood threat.
Sutlej River has been in high flood at Sulemanki Headworks, with 1,46,271 cusecs inflow and outflow. The river has also been in high flood at Head Ganda Singh with 1,82,188 cusecs outflow.
The water level in Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala has been as high as 21.90 feet. A flood flow of 2,80,000 cusecs, released from India yesterday entered in Bahawalnagar district.
“After 35 years such big water flow has entered in Sutlej River. This huge 2.75 Lac cusecs floodwater could wreak havoc in the area,” DC Bahawalnagar Zulfiqar Bhoon said in a video message to the residents of Sutlej River belt.
He has advised the people to evacuate to relief camps or other safer places to avoid hazard. “The people should also evacuate their cattle immediately from the area, likely affected by the flooding,” he said. A spokesperson of Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) earlier stated that the high flood flow in Sutlej will likely to pass through Islam Headworks on August 21 (today).
The Punjab PDMA said that the Office of the Indian Commissioner for Indus Water Treaty had intimated that Harike and Ferozepur Headworks in India “have entered into the flood regime”. “The water will be regularly discharged on daily basis from the water works until August 21.”
Large-scale rescue, evacuation efforts continue in flood-affected areas
Large-scale rescue and evacuation efforts continued in the recent flood-affected areas in parts of Punjab, following the high-level floods in the Sutlej River at two points.
According to the details, large-scale relief activities by Pakistan Army are underway in the recent flood-affected areas of Punjab including, Ganda Singhwala, Dhap Sri, Attari, Ghati Kalingar, Aulake, Jamiwala, Kamalpura, Bakarke and Najabat.
Pakistan Army rescue teams engaged in the rescue and transfer activities with the help of boats, while 16 tons of free of cost ration was also distributed to thousand of affected families by the army rescue teams.
Ration packs containing essential food items including flour, lentils, rice, ghee and milk, the distribution is still in process at several locations including Talwarpul, Thathti Bakshi and Najabat. The rescue teams also arranged the necessary medical assistance for the flood victims. Moreover, the relief operations will continue until the flood situation improves and normal life is restored.
NDMA chief reviews devastation caused by flooded Sutlej River
Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik on Monday reviewed the situation of devastation caused by the flooded Sutlej River, the situation of major Dams, and the regulation of river flows during the ongoing monsoon spell.
The NDMA Chairman presided over special National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) session here in Islamabad with key stakeholders on the current flood and monsoon situation.
The session was attended by representatives of Armed Forces, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Federal Flood Commission (FFC), Provincial, State, and Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs, SDMA, GBDMA), Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters (PCIW), Rescue 1122 Punjab, Tarbela and Mangla Dam Management.
The PMD briefed about the previous days’ rainfall observed in the country. They also apprised about the expected rainfall in the North Eastern parts of the country from August 23 to 25.
The PDMA Punjab and Rescue 1122 Punjab briefed about the evacuation, rescue, and relief efforts conducted along the Sutlej River.
The FFD reported that Sulemanki headworks would attain a very high flood level by 22 August and a peak in the flow of River Jhelum will be observed from 23 to 25 August which will affect the Mangla dam levels.
The Mangla and Tarbela Dam management briefed that the water level in dams and contingency measures are in place.
The PCIW briefed about the mechanism in place for information sharing between Pakistan and Indian dam management.
The Chairman NDMA directed the departments concerned to carry out flood damage assessment and gather accurate data. He also instructed PDMAs, GBDMA, and SDMA to increase awareness among the masses about the remedial measures to be taken during the season and to monitor the changing situation vigilantly. He reiterated that the settlements and encroachments in river beds of all major rivers must be cleared by all concerned to minimize the damages.
