- Web Desk
- 1 Minute ago
Chenab flood to worsen as India releases water from Baglihar, Salal
-
- Web Desk
- Sep 01, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Water level was on the rise at Trimmu and Muhammad Wala on Sunday as the exceptionally high flood in Chenab currently threatened Jhang, Multan and adjoining areas.
On the other hand, waterflow from Occupied Kashmir is again expected to increase due to heavy rains which means the Chenab River could again witness extreme floods at Marala in next 48 hours.
And India opened the spillways of the two dams — Baglihar and Salal — in Occupied Kashmir without any prior information, which is expected to reach 800,000 cusecs.
It will ultimately flow downstream and further deteriorate the already alarming situation in Punjab, devastating the region submerged during the past week.
Although both Baglihar and Salal dams are designed as run-of-the-river projects with limited reservoir capacity, but their spillways can be operated to regulate the timing of water releases.
Earlier, the the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains in the catchment areas, which could also trigger flooding in the Jhelum River.
Read more: NDMA warns of heavy rains in Jhelum catchment areas
On the other hand, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) DG Irfan Ali Kathia said India did not share any update about the Salal Dam [or Baglihar].
He said the flood in the Chenab River would be 800,000 cusecs at Muhammad Wala, adding that it would jump to 900,000 at Panjnad — the point where the five rivers of Punjab meet.
However, the flood would reach 1.1 million [1,100,000] cusecs when the River Indus entered Sindh, Kathia added.
Read more: Guddu may see 1.2m cusecs flood in worst-case scenario
THE SUTLEJ AFFAIRS
At the same time, the exceptionally high flood in the Sutlej River was being witnessed at Ganda Singh Wala and in the Ravi River at Balloki, with continuous heavy downpour in the catchment areas of the two eastern rivers raising the fears of more deluge entering Pakistan from India.
The district administrations in their respective jurisdictions have so far been proactive to deal with the challenge. A latest example is from Shakargarh — a tehsil in Narowal district, where the assistant commissioner said late on Sunday night that the people were being informed to shift to safer locations amid the threat of a surging Ravi.
But it isn’t just the catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand or Indian Punjab — the Indian states — as Kashmir and the flood-hit Punjab are also feeling the brunt of the current monsoon spell.
Read more: Fresh monsoon system starts affecting flood-hit Punjab
In this connection, a spokesperson for PDMA said they had received information about India issuing a high flood alert at Harike — the area known for the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers.
Just to recall there has been no such warning in the case of Chenab as stated above.
It is expected that the deluge in Chenab, which has already inundated vast areas of Punjab, would pass through Trimmu Barrage in next 36 hours.
Read more: Focus shifts to Trimmu after Qadirabad passes Chenab test
Authorities have warned that the waterflow at Trimmu could surpass 800,000 cusecs.
LIVES LOST, CROPS DESTROYED
On the other hand, the PDMA on Sunday said a total of 33 people had so far their lives in the devastating floods, with over 2,200 villages inundated, destroying standing crops in the process.
Punjab is witnessing a historic natural disaster, as three rivers have never been in flood simultaneously in the past, said Kathia.
Meanwhile, the Indus River was already rising at Guddu and Sukkur, although the flood from the five rivers hasn’t reached Kot Mithan where they meet the Indus.
FLASH FLOODS, URBAN FLOODING
In its daily evening report, the Met Office on Sunday again warned flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Manshera, Abbottabad, Nowshera, Swabi, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, northeast Punjab, Kashmir, Dera Ghazi Khan and adjoining areas.
The NDMA has issued a similar warning for Kashmir, where heavy down is expected in next 12 hours.
At the same time, low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan may witness urban on Sunday night and Monday.
The latest advisory comes as strong monsoon currents from Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea are penetrating upper and central parts of the country. A westerly wave is also affecting upper parts of the country and likely to persist till tomorrow.
In this scenario, there is also a flood threat in the nullahs and streams flowing into Pakistan from Occupied Kashmir and India. Nullah Dek is one of them in whose case the authorities issued a red alert on Sunday evening.
RESCUE AND RELIEF
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday too visited the flood affected areas of Kasur and Okara to meet the people and encourage the officials involved the government response.
She also shared the details of her visit as well as rescue and relief efforts across Punjab, including rescuing a 20-day old baby.
In one of her posts on X, she praised the Civil Defence.
She also spent some time with the Rescue 1122 officials.
During her visit, the chief minister mingled with the people, including buying local guavas from a woman vendor.
You May Also Like
- Web Desk
- 4 Hours ago
Senior journalist Mazhar Iqbal passes away
