India releases more water into Sutlej River

LAHORE: India has released additional floodwater into the Sutlej River, prompting Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources to issue a flood alert after being formally notified by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

According to the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the release of water from India is expected to further increase the river’s flow.  At present, the Sutlej River is experiencing high flood levels at Harike Downstream and Ferozepur Downstream.

The PDMA has issued a high-flood warning, directing authorities to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of lives and property in vulnerable areas. Officials noted that India had also released water into the Sutlej a day earlier.

Meanwhile, the PDMA reported that the water flow at Ganda Singh Wala has reached 230,000 cusecs, while the Sutlej at Sulemanki is in high flood with a discharge of 137,000 cusecs.

Other major rivers are also witnessing heavy flows. The Chenab River recorded 62,000 cusecs at Marala, 98,000 cusecs at Khanki Headworks, and 98,000 cusecs at Qadirabad. At Trimmu Headworks, the water flow surged to 250,000 cusecs.

The PDMA further stated that the Panjnad area is facing an “extremely high flood” situation, with water discharge reaching 475,000 cusecs.