Lahore – Pakistan is experiencing a worsening state of flood emergency, and several of the biggest rivers in the Punjab province, such as the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab, are overflowing at threatening levels.

This has resulted in massive evacuations, with authorities having confirmed that over 28,000 individuals have been saved or taken to safer areas within the province.

The Pakistani Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) says that the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers are recording very high floods.

It is especially critical at major headworks, such as at Qadirabad and Khanki on the Chenab and Ganda Singh Wala on the Sutlej.

Water discharges at Qadirabad were measured in excess of 900,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs), and at Khanki, the discharge was nearly 800,000 cusecs. Although reports are coming of water inflow lowering at Qadirabad headwork, the threat remains.

NDMA Issues 48-Hour Alert for Critical River Basins

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has declared a 48-hour weather alert of torrential monsoon rains that will increase the pressure on river basins.

Both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are expected to be hit by moisture-driven weather systems that will bring heavy rainfall, especially to the upper and central parts of Punjab, which increases the threats of urban flooding, flash floods, and landslides.

The watershed of the Ravi River is under the greatest immediate threat. Jassar is already at a very high stage of the Ravi, at 202,020 cusecs, and Shahdara and Head Baloki are still in the medium stage.

Areas under close monitoring for urban inundation and river overflow include: Narowal, Lahore’s northern suburbs, with vulnerable union councils such as Kot Mahbo, Aziz Colony, Qaiser Town, and Faisal Park.

The tehsil of Ferozewala, Faizpur Khu, Burj Attari, and Kot Abdul Malik in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib’s Ganesh Pur, Pattoki tehsil in Kasur such as Phool Nagar and Kot Sardar, Khanewal’s flood-prone villages such as Ghauspur and Abdul Hakim.

Governments have been encouraging people in such localities to stock up emergency kits, and local governments have been called to mobilize backup emergency plans.

Also See : KP Government Ramps Up Relief Efforts for Flood-Affected Districts