LAHORE – River Sutlej is at a low flood level and falling at Sulemanki.
All other major rivers are flowing below low flood levels.
Water flow at River Sutlej is gradually falling at Ganda Singh Wala after reaching a medium flood level at the start of the current week due to heavy rains in the catchment areas and the release of water by India.
Before the gradual fall, high water flow in River Sutlej submerged nearby villages and fields in Kasur district in floodwater, causing people to shift to safer places.
People in other districts also started shifting from the villages close to River Sutlej to safer places.
River Sutlej was in medium flood level at Ganda Singh Wala two days back at noon with 102,800 cusec water. In the same evening, water flow decreased to 83,700 cusec.
On Friday morning, the water flow decreased to 74,600 which further dropped to 63,300 cusec at noon. On Saturday morning, water level decreased to 29,000 cusec which further dropped to 25,548 cusec at noon. In the evening, water flow at Ganda Singh Wala was 22,959 cusecs.
At Sulemanki, River Sutlej remained in low flood level with 73,438 cusec water flow.
Despite decrease in water flow, administration of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar and Vehari are on alert due to a possible increase in the flow of River Sutlej in the wake of widespread rains in the upper catchment areas during the next couple of days.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast scattered wind thunderstorm/ rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls over the upper catchments of all the major rivers along with Islamabad and Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, D.I Khan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, D G Khan & Bahawalpur divisions during the next 48 hours.
Isolated wind thunderstorm/rain is also expected over Zhob, Loralai, Sibbi, Nasirabad & Kalat divisions.
The rains in catchment areas may increase water flow at major rivers during the coming week.