Water level rises at Guddu, exceptionally high flood at Panjnad

ISLAMABAD: Water level was rising at Guddu and Sukkur on Friday as the Chenab River remained in exceptionally high flood at Panjnad as floodwaters washed away more protective levees in Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad — the two tehsils of Multan district.

By 8pm, the Indus River had reached the high flood status with a flow of 537,220 cusecs at Guddu while still in medium flood at Sukkur — 460,490 cusecs.

Meanwhile, the inflow at the Guddu Barrage was 517,724 cusecs at 3pm.

Earlier, latest Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) data showed that the waterflow at Panjnad was 684,293 cusecs. Previously, it had attained the highest level of 703,698 cusecs on Thursday.

Read more: Overflowing Chenab, Sutlej flood more settlements

WOSERNING SITUATION MULTAN

Authorities on Friday evening declared the next 12 hours to 24 hours critical in the rural areas around Jalalpur Pirwala city as a massive flood surge was passing in Chenab, resulting in excessive pressure on dykes.

Also in Jalalpur Pirwala, the floodwaters released through a breach to save the city on Friday hit the dykes protecting M-5, the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, after which authorities sent 20 trucks carrying stones to strengthen the levees.

Read more: Situation critical at Panjnad, breach designed to save Jalalpur Pirwala

Meanwhile, efforts were being made to protect Shujabad city after floodwaters submerged most of the rural area surrounding it. For this purpose, officials and locals were strengthening a temporary dyke around the city.

On the other hand, two boys drowned in Sutlej in Khairpur Tamewali, a tehsil in the south of Bahawalpur which is the district headquarters, on the river’s left bank.

Earlier on Thursday, floodwaters had entered the villages located around Bahawalpur city.

With more villages inundated, people were being forced to leave their homes as Pakistan deals with the massive individual losses of farmers and damage to national economy, which has already visible in rising food prices.

Read more: Climate change batters agriculture. Hungary is an example

NO MORE FLOODWATERS FROM INDIA

Amid the devastation the floodwaters are causing in southern Punjab with Sindh being the next target, the good news is the Chenab River is flowing normal upstream of Panjnad.

Ravi, on the other hand, Ravi was in low flood at Balloki but in medium flood at Sidhnai where the water level had been rising. But at Jassar in Narowal, the river was in normal flow, showing no more water discharge from India.

And Sutlej was in low flood at Ganda Singh Wala with medium flood at Sulemanki and Islam in its downstream.

MONSOON DEATH TOLL REACHES 946

Also on Friday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the death toll in the current monsoon season since late June had reached 946 people with injuries to 1,062.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which earlier witnessed deadly flash floods topped the list with 504 deaths and 218 injured. Punjab had 260 people killed and 660 injured followed by Sindh 68 and 87, and Balochistan 26 and five.

Meanwhile, 41 people were killed in Gilgit-Baltistan, 38 in Azad Kashmir and nine in Islamabad.