- NDMA forecasts high flood levels in River Indus at Sukkur, Guddu barrages
- Country’s largest storage capacity, Mangla, reaches maximum storage level
- Punjab govt decides to release Rs 100 million for each flood-hit district
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the raging floods are expected to hit River Indus in Guddu and Sukkur, putting Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Ghotki and Sukkur at the risk of being inundated.
River Indus in Guddu is most likely to attain a very high flood level that will range between 600,000 to 700,000 cusecs on September 15 and 16 while the hydrological condition of River Indus in Sukkur is also likely to attain the same flood level over the course of the same dates, the NDMA has warned, advising the people living in the aforementioned areas to take precautionary measures.
Moreover, River Chenab in Punjnad is likely to attain an exceptionally high flood level of 600,000 cusecs to 700,000 cusecs between September 12 and September 15, with Trimmu witnessing a peak flood discharge of 800,000 cusecs over the next 24 hours.
EVEN MANGLA CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE:
Furthermore, the reports said Thursday that Mangla reservoir attained its maximum storage level of 1,242 feet above mean sea level for the first time after the completion of Mangla Dam Raising Project in 2009.
The dam, the ninth largest in the world, had been raised by 30 feet in December 2009 which brought its storage level up to 1,242 feet. Its storage capacity of 7.4 million acre feet (MAF) was raised by 2.88 MAF. With the completion of the raised Mangla Dam, the Mangla reservoir has become the biggest water reservoir in the country surpassing Tarbela, which has a storage capacity of 6.45 MAF.
RELIEF COMING YOUR WAY:
In the meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced Thursday an aid package of Rs 100 million for each district hit by the recent flash floods.
During a visit to the affected areas in Chiniot district, the chief minister said that it was the priority of the government to shift the stranded population to safety. He claimed that 90 per cent of the population had been evacuated from the area before the flood while post calamity relief activities were underway.
RS 20,000 FOR EACH DISPLACED FAMILY:
Moreover, the Punjab Cabinet Committee (PCC) for flood relief has announced that the provincial government will provide Rs 20,000 to each family displaced by floods before Eidul Azha.
In a press conference Thursday, PCC Chairman Shuja Khanzada said that 16 helicopters were being used to transport trapped people to dry areas while Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin said that the provincial government had announced an aid of Rs 2 billion for relief and uplifting of the stranded people.
Another committee member Zaeem Qadri said 140,000 people have been shifted to safe areas out of the estimated 1.8 million affected by the catastrophe. For rehabilitation purposes the government has constituted 500 relief camps, he added.
Moreover, officials said that troops with helicopters and boats evacuated 4,000 marooned people from the country’s plains where raging monsoon floods inundated more villages early Thursday.
In a statement, the military said it had expanded relief operations in flood-hit areas in eastern Punjab where the overflowing Chenab River was causing damage.
