India releases more water into Sutlej, to reach Pakistan in 48 hrs

LAHORE: India has released more water in Sutlej River, which can be between 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 cusecs, irrigation sources here said on Tuesday.

The water stream released from India’s Pong and Bakhra dams in Sutlej is expected to reach Pakistan within next 48 hours, according to sources.

Indian authorities have informed about the water release from their dams through its high commission in Islamabad, irrigation sources said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sutlej River has been exceptionally high flood at Ganda Singh Wala Headworks for last one month.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has issued a high alert to districts adjacent to Sutlej after India released more water flowing into Pakistan.

“It has been high flood at India’s Lower Harike and Lower Firozpur,” the PDMA stated.

Punjab’s Kasur, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Multan, and Muzaffargarh districts have been at the risk of inundation, officials said.

Sutlej river has been in high flood at Head Sulemanki, while Chenab has been in high flood at Trimmu headworks and the flood flow is expected to reach Multan this evening.

The flood stream in Chenab entering at Rangpur point as water level in the river continuously surging. A joint flood flow of 6,50,000 cusecs of Ravi and Chenab is expected to pass through the area.

The Indus River carrying a large flood flow could enter in Sindh by September 6 to 7, officials said.

Currently, the river has been in low flood at Sindh’s Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages.

Addressing a press conference at the New Sindh Secretariat, the chief minister said that 1.077 million cusecs flow had reached Qadirabad Barrage four days ago, with major river flows converging at Panjnad before entering the Indus at Kot Mithan.

He noted that the NDMA had forecast 800,000 to 1.1 million cusecs at Guddu Barrage around September 5, warning that “anything above 900,000 cusecs is declared a super flood.”