Punjab PDMA Director General (DG) Irfan Ali Kathia has stated that a "decreasing trend" has been noted in the water flow at Shahdara on the Ravi River.

 

“The largest deluge in Ravi has reached Balloki and has a flow of 211,000 cusecs. It includes the waters from the outfall of Nankana Sahib’s Daek nullah,” he said, addressing the media in Lahore on Saturday.

 

He predicted that the water levels would rise and eventually merge with the Chenab at Sidhnai Headworks, adding that the flow would increase at Head Islam near Vehari within the next 48 to 55 hours.

 

“From 6am to 9am tomorrow, we are expecting 830,000 cusecs at Trimmu,” he said, commending the authorities for their timely decision to blow up dykes to save lives by diverting water.

 

Noting the recent rains, Kathia said additional water flows had entered the River Chenab from India, causing a medium-level flood at Marala. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that 28 deaths have so far been recorded in Punjab due to the ongoing rains and flooding.

 

Meanwhile, the flood, after wreaking havoc in major parts of Punjab, is expected to enter Sindh, and the authorities have been put on alert as the province braces for the flood’s impact.

 

Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said that the provincial authorities will see the scale of the deluge at Panjnad, adding that the province does not have the option of creating controlled breaches in the dams.

 

On Friday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) released a public alert, warning citizens of urban flooding in Karachi from Aug 30 to Sept 2.