ISLAMABAD: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Pakistan’s Punjab warned of high-level floods in the province’s Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers on Saturday night, as the death toll from deluges since late August surged to 50.
Heavy monsoon rains and excess water released by Indian dams have caused water levels in Punjab to rise and triggered floods in the province since late August, killing around 50.
Punjab is also home to half of the country’s 240 million people and accounts for much of its wheat and rice production, creating food security concerns as initial estimates suggest 1.3 million acres of agricultural land have been inundated in the province amid the flooding of the three rivers. Nationwide, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said 905 people have been killed in rain and flood-related incidents since the monsoon began on June 26.
“Trimmu is sustaining a very high flood (465,000 cusecs), putting stress on District Jhang (18 Hazari, Athara Hazari belt, Ahmedpur Sial),” the PDMA’s report said on Saturday night.
It said Panjnad, the confluence of five rivers in southern Punjab, is receiving 345,000 cusecs of water, which is slightly below its earlier peak level of 380,000 cusecs “but still in the high flood category.”
