Flood water is now moving towards Sindh after wreaking havoc across Punjab where 232 lost their lives whereas about 2.2 million got affected, reveals data released by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Monday. Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) has issued a fresh flood flow forecast for Guddu and Sukkur Barrages on river Indus, according to which river Indus at Guddu and Sukkur may attain medium to high flood discharge ranging between 400,000 cusecs to 500,000 cusecs from September 16-to-18.
As per PMD reports, the risk of high to very high flood at Guddu and Sukkur has reduced due to hydrological conditions on account of breaching bunds between Qadirabad and Punjnad on River Chenab that reduced water discharge in the main flood plain. The report states the government of Sindh has directed people living along River Indus to move to safe places.
At present, flood water entered Muzaffargarh city after hitting Taliri canal and inundating the surrounding areas of Muradabad and Thatha Sialan. In order to release pressure from the canal, the district administration breached Doaba dyke Sunday to save Muzaffargarh city.
After passing through Punjab, the flood water is now moving towards Sindh province. NDMA has also issued advisory to all concerned departments and has directed to take precautionary measures for evacuation and other necessary needs in all low-lying and vulnerable areas to avert any situation of emergency. On Monday, the death toll reached 312 and the number of injured rose to 540 in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The NDMA has collected figures from provincial disaster management authorities. According to which, 232 people died in Punjab, 66 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 14 in Gilgit-Baltistan. The death toll in Gujranwala soared to 73 as 34 people died in Sialkot. It is followed by Lahore Division where deaths are counted as 62. Rains and flooding caused 30 deaths in Rawlapindi Division. In AJK, Haveli is more affected due to heavy rains and flash floods where 29 people lost their lives. The Gilgit-Baltistan Diamer is hit by a natural calamity where 9 people died. Crops spreading over at 1,683,966 acres of land in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were destroyed. Around 3,100 villages were inundated due to which 2.27 million were badly affected.
According to details, the positions of the river inflows and outflows at Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma along with the reservoirs levels and the barrages Monday are: Panjnad at River Ravi: water level is 379,000 cusecs and at Trimmu is 153,000 cusecs; Indus at Tarbela: Inflows 86,000 cusecs and outflows 48,000 cusecs; Kabul at Nowshera: Inflows and outflow are 15,000 cusecs; Jhelum at Mangla: Inflows 71,000 cusecs and outflows 69,000 cusecs.