India informs about releasing more water in Sutlej River
ISLAMABAD: India has formally informed Pakistan about the release of more water into the Sutlej River, heightening flood concerns in Punjab and Sindh. According to officials, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad notified authorities at 8:00 am on Thursday about the discharge of water from Harike and below Firozpur.
The high commission had already conveyed a similar warning on Wednesday, but the fresh release is expected to aggravate the situation. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has predicted more rainfall in the upper areas of the country within the next 24 to 48 hours. Narowal, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Lahore are expected to witness heavy downpours.
Torrential rains have already wreaked havoc in Gujrat, where 506 millimeters of rainfall were recorded in just 20 hours. The deputy commissioner confirmed that the storm drain on Qamar Sialvi Road overflowed, flooding nearby homes and shops. Katchery Road and WAPDA Colony were also submerged, with floodwaters rushing into both residential and commercial areas.
Bhimber Nullah has swollen to dangerous levels, raising fears of further devastation in the region. NDMA also warned that southern Punjab and Sindh could be lashed by heavy rainfall, with coastal districts such as Badin, Sujawal, and Tharparkar at risk.
Authorities fear an exceptionally high flood as streams of Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej converge at Punjnad between September 4 and 5, pushing a massive water flow downstream towards Sindh’s Guddu Barrage. Officials said the situation is being closely monitored, and rescue operations are on standby in vulnerable areas.
Read also: ‘Exceptionally high flood’ to continue in Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala till Sept 10
