Mid level flood in Sutlej River cut land connectivity of five villages

• A major flood relay will pass through the Sutlej River by this evening.
• Agricultural land of 15 villages has been damaged.
• Rescue personnel are busy moving people to safe places.

A medium level flood in the Sutlej River has cut off the land connectivity of five villages in Punjab’s Kasur district.

The sources of the Irrigation Department stated that a major flood relay will pass through the Sutlej River by this evening and later high level flooding is expected.

The department stated that the agricultural land of 15 villages has been damaged, while the ready crops standing on hundreds of acres have been submerged.

Added that the maize crops lying in the fields were washed away in the water relay, causing a loss of millions to the farmers.

Alongside, rescue personnel are busy moving people to safe places and until now more than 50,000 people were moved from the river banks to safer places.

Rescue authorities made evacuation announcements in the mosque but residents refused to leave their houses.

Assistant commissioner of Kasur stated that the district administration has organized temporary relief camps in schools and other non-government buildings.

The Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Tuesday issued a high alert to the Punjab authorities to take prior precautions following the realse of water from India in the river Sutlej.

PDMA stated that India had released 95,027 cusecs of water from Harike village to the Sutlej River and the water relay is expected to enter Pakistani territory from Kasur’s Ganda Singh village in Punjab province.

PDMA directed the deputy commissioners of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar and Wahari to complete the preliminary arrangements.

Besides urged the staff in the emergency control room to stay alert all the time. All the concerned departments are directed inform the authorities about the latest situation of water relay.

Director General PDMA Imran Qureshi directed Disaster Response Team of Rescue 1122 to remain on high alert.

Availability of machinery and other equipment for disaster response force should be ensured, said Imran Qureshi.