The authorities in Punjab have blown up dykes in order to save two major cities as the raging floodwater continued to sweep village after village, destroy standing crops, uproot people on Friday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Amid the widespread destruction, the water level started to recede in Ravi River at Shahdara near Lahore after night-long chaos during which a number of localities were evacuated.
The catastrophic flooding has so far claimed 20 lives, destroyed crops on hundreds of thousands of acres of land which runs into billions of rupees losses along with thousands of mudhouses being swept away and infrastructure decimated.
Midday flood levels in rivers
Punjab PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said that floods have claimed lives of at least 20 people. Addressing the media in Lahore, Kathia said “Most of the deaths occurred due to drowning and were reported mostly in Gujranwala division,” adding no loss of life was reported due to any negligence in rescue services.
He announced the Punjab government will give one million rupees to each victim’s family as compensation. Noting the magnitude of the situation, Kathia said that they made every possible effort to rescue people, whether via helicopters or boats.
1.5 million people affected
The Punjab government has launched one of its largest evacuation operations in recent years, as floodwaters affected over 1.46 million people across the province, with the Chenab River expected to swell to dangerous levels at Head Trimmu.
Extremely high floods in Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers have also destroyed standing crops on vast swathes of land as the province is battling its worst flooding in four decades, which has caused havoc in 1,769 villages and submerged vital grain crops.
The deputy commissioner also signed a permission note allowing breaching of another dyke in Chhund Bharwana to ease the flood level in River Chenab.
A railway track was uprooted at three places in Ragwana area of Chhund Bharwana.
Jhang, Chiniot under threat
The authorities have blows up dykes to divert raging water from Chenab River to save Jhang and Chiniot cities. High flood level was recorded at Trimmu Barrage in Jhang where water level was gauged at 120,000 cusecs.
A meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary in Lahore has decided to breach Rawaz Bridge dyke in order to save Jhang and Chiniot cities as a big flood wave was heading towards the region.
The meeting also decided to deploy additional administrative officers in flood-affected districts.
The meeting also decided to evacuate people from areas along the river belts in Nankana, Sheikhupura and Toba TekSingh and issued directives in this regard.
The Jhang deputy commissioner also signed a permission note allowing breaching of another dyke in Chhund Bharwana to ease the flood level in River Chenab.
A railway track was uprooted at three places in Ragwana area of Chhund Bharwana.
A flood wave of 817,000 cusecs in Chenab River was passing through Chiniot submerging low-lying areas along the river bank. Another big flood wave is expected to hit Head Trimu in the evening.
Though at Jester Ravi was in extremely high flood, entering houses in nearby localities.
At Qabula, Sutlej River has also swollen to a dangerous level inundating dozens of villages. The floodwater also entered many villages and localities in Arifwala, cutting off land routes and destroying standing crops of cotton, paddy and corn.
Water receding at Shahdara
A PDMA spokesman has informed that floodwater in Ravi River is going down at Shahdara where water level in the morning was recorded at 220,000 cusecs, a significant drop of 9,000 cusecs.
Irfan Ali Kathia said human loss was avoided due to active coordination among different departments.
1.4 million affected
Floodwater has gushed into the country’s breadbasket and home to about half of Pakistan’s 255 million people. More than 1.4 million people living near the rivers have been affected by the floods, with over 265,000 evacuated.
In Wazirabad, the receding fetid tide left behind mud, buzzing insects and the threat of disease.
Mother-of-four Nazia Nasir told AFP the Army evacuated her family, who found their house collapsed upon their return. "Everything we owned is lying in ruins," the 40-year-old said, clearing the mud away with her bare hands.
"My son has nothing to wear, he walks around in just a T-shirt. The crops we relied on for our livelihood are gone."
Nasima Bibi was not yet able to return to her submerged home, camping on higher ground on the roadside. "I don't know what I will find but I have no other place to go. The sun has burnt my skin but I cannot leave," she said.
This year, landslides and floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 800 people countrywide since June.
While South Asia's seasonal monsoon brings rainfall that farmers depend on, climate change is making the phenomenon more erratic, unpredictable and deadly across the region.
Pakistani authorities have said spillover released from dams in neighbouring India increased the flow of water rushing downstream to Punjab.
India opens spillway of Uri Dam
India has released more water in Jhelum River resultantly low flood situation has been developed in River in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir after India opens spillway of Uri Dam. AJK disaster management authority has advised citizens to be cautious as floodwaters are flowing through Muzaffarabad city.
If this flood water is not stored in Mangla Dam, the situation in the Chenab River may become more grave.
All dams in country hits maximum capacity
Tarbela Dam has reached its maximum capacity of 1550 feet while Mangla Dam recorded water level of 1223 feet which can reach a capacity of 1442 feet.
According to the latest situation of dams in Pakistan, Khanpur Dam has filled up to 1981.45 feet while its capacity is 1982 feet while Simli Dam has water level of 2314.25 feet and capacity of 2315 feet.
Moreover, Rawal Dam has reached 1750.60 feet which has a capacity of 1752 feet. During the last 24 hours, water level has increased in Mangla and Khanpur Dam while decrease was recorded in Rawal and Simli Dam. Spillways are being opened according to the water level in the dams.
NDMA has issued alert over high flood level at Ganda Singhwala in Sutlej River. The water flow at GS Wala was exceeding 3.5 lakh cusecs and the situation can aggravates in few days. The administration and rescue agencies remain high alert in Kasur and adjoining areas.
Reporters Ali Ramay, Ramazan Mirza, Hashar Ahsan