Flooding: Manchhar Lake water level surges to tipping point

JAMSHORO: The water level of Manchhar Lake is rapidly increasing quoting Sindh irrigation department, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The water level of the lake, spreading over Jamshoro and Dadu districts, has presently reached to 122.5 RL, irrigation department has warned.

Recently during his visit of Manchhar Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in Pakistan, Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah said that the water level in the lake will be dangerous if it reaches to 123 feet. He was informed that the water level in the lake was reached to 120.75 feet.

The water from Main Nara Valley (MNV) Drain and flood water around Juhi is entering in Manchhar Lake. The Lake is swelling with water of flash floods in Kirthar Range and flooding in Indus River.

Deputy Commissioner Jamshoro has said that precautionary measures are being taken owing to rapid surge in the water level of Manchhar Lake. “Population settlements could be evacuated in case of further increase in the water level of the lake” he added.

The situation said to be critical at Bubak Band RD-62 of Manchhar Lake. Floodwater overtopping Danister Canal owing to pressure at RD-62. It is being apprehended that the gate of Danister Canal could be broken under the pressure of the floodwater, relief officials said.

Manchhar Lake is directly in south of Hamal Lake, and the two are connected by the Main Nara Valley Drain. It is lower than the bed of the Indus, and sometimes catches floodwater from the river, while in winter when the river is low, water flows from the lake into the Indus via the Aral channel and Danister Canal.