Sutlej in exceptionally high flood, Multan faces Chenab brunt

ISLAMABAD: As Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani declared the next 24 hours very critical for Multan, Chenab was in very high flood at Chiniot with a flow of 524,594 cusecs which again threatens the downstream areas.

The raging Chenab River means situation is worsening at the Sher Shah Bridge and Muhammad Wala Headworks, with dozens of villages and settlements already inundated.

On the other hand, the waterflow at Panjnad — the point where the five rivers meet — was 310,479 cusecs, representing high flood. But the flood surge in Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej moving downstream, situation will worsen at Panjnad.

The Chenab River has already inundated farmlands and villages along its routes from Gujrat and Wazirabad in the north to Chiniot, Jhang and Multan in the south.

On the other hand, the Sutlej River in eastern Punjab, which is expected to receive more monsoon downpours from Saturday, had been stayed in exceptionally high flood at Ganda Singh Wala, as the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) data showed that the waterflow was 311,673 cusecs at 3pm.

That’s why Sutlej is submerging more and more villages and settlements in Kasur and in the downstream areas, forcing the authorities to breach dykes to release pressure.

But the raging waters are also sweeping away protective levees in the process.

Read more: Monsoon low from India to hit eastern Punjab, Sindh

Meanwhile, this sustained exceptionally high flood level in Sutlej is a result of India releasing water from the reservoirs after persistent rains in the catchment areas.

INDUS WATERS TREATY

With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-right government suspending the Indus Waters Treaty illegally after the Pahalgam attack, New Delhi has been relying on sharing information through diplomatic channels.

And on Friday, the Indian external affairs ministry, according to Reuters, again said that they had been sharing flood data with Pakistan through diplomatic channels.

Read more: Chenab and Sutlej continue inundating Punjab

RIVER FLOW

In downstream of Ganda Singh Wala, the Sutlej River was in high flood at Sulemanki — 141,984 cusecs — and in medium flood at Islam Headworks — 102,045 cusecs. These readings too were taken at 3pm.

Sutlej is a shallow river and the silt accumulated since the three eastern rivers given to India under the Indus Waters Treaty has made it even shallower. That’s why it causes more devastation in floods.

Meanwhile, Chenab was in high flood downstream of Chiniot at Trimmu — 331,695 cusecs — and Panjnad — 310,479 cusecs.

As far as Ravi is concerned, the river was in low flood of 74,648 cusecs at Jassar in Narowal district (3pm) — certainly a great news for the millions of people in its downstream. Same is the case with Chenab at Marala — 115,341 cusecs.

But the Ravi River was still in high flood of 112,440 at Shahdara and in very high flood at Balloki and Sidhnai — 148,210 cusecs and 119,324 cusecs respectively.

It’s a developing story. Details to follow