Alarm bells over water levels rising in Chenab, Jhelum

ISLAMABAD: Both River Chenab and its local tributaries (Nullahs) are expected to flow in medium to high flood during the next 24 hours, Federal Flood Commission (FFC) noted in its daily report on Wednesday. It has also issued warnings with regard to River Jehlum, which might also flow in high to very high flood at Mangla.

However, all other main rivers, which included Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej, were found to be flowing normally, with the exception of River Indus---running in low flood at Kalabagh. The report also added that Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs stood at the elevations of 1515.24 feet and 1230.70 feet respectively, which are 34.76 feet and 11.30 feet below their respective Maximum Conservation Levels of 1550.00 feet and 1242.00 feet. When compared to last year, the total capacity of Tarbela, Chashma and Mangla reservoirs had also gone down from 12.901 MAF to 11.094 MAF.

The Lahore Division of FFC also said that the trough of a westerly wave observed over Northeastern Iran on Tuesday currently lies over the northern parts of Afghanistan. However, a seasonal low still prevails over Northern Balochistan and strong moist currents from the Arabian Sea are now found to have penetrated upto 7000 feet into the upper parts of the country. The Division has also forecasted a widespread thunderstorm and heavy rain at scattered places in the upper catchments of rivers Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi and Sutlej including areas in Northern and Northeastern Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore Divisions) as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the next 24 hours.