The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority on Saturday warned of a dangerous increase in the water level in case India releases more water if the country receives more monsoon rains.
According to a PDMA spokesperson, districts of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, Multan, and Bahawalpur may be affected due to the water inflow. “The villages in the vicinity of River Sutlej might have to be evacuated and all the authorities concerned are on high alert,” said Punjab’s Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed, adding that there are concerns over the situation of the Indian dams.
The roaring floodwater of Sutlej River has entered Bahawalpur in Punjab as devastation on a massive scale is being feared in the district.
At present, a deluge of 143,000 cusecs of floodwater is passing at Islam Headworks and expected to strike Bahawalpur in the next 24 hours.
A raging torrent of 70,000 cusecs of floodwater is already gushing through under the Bahawalpur Empress Bridge at the time.
It has caused significant damage to standing crops spread over thousands of acres and several residents living along the river’s banks have been rendered homeless after their houses were washed away.
A major disaster is being feared when the floodwater at Islam Headworks reaches Bahawalpur as the district administration’s measures to avert the devastation are negligible.
Almost no arrangements have been made to house the people who will be displaced by the flood.
Many areas of Bahawalpur city are also under severe threat.
