Chenab River Sustains High Flood Levels Amid Ongoing Heavy Rainfall in Kashmir and Punjab

• Flood Forecasting Division warns of potential flow increases through July 25 due to incoming monsoon spells
• Risk of urban flooding identified for parts of Punjab, KP, and Balochistan

LAHORE: The Chenab River remained in a high-flood state on Thursday as heavy rainfall continued to lash held Kashmir and various regions across Punjab.

According to a senior official from the irrigation department, water levels at Marala and Khanki have receded to medium flood stages. However, the river remains in high flood at Qadirabad and the Chiniot Bridge. Projections suggest levels may subside as the water moves toward the Trimmu Headworks after passing Chiniot Bridge, based on recent reports from Thursday evening.

The official cautioned that if rainfall persists in held Kashmir, water levels at Marala could rise again. “Rainfall is ongoing in parts of held Kashmir. We await the latest data from the region on Friday to assess the situation,” the official noted.

Data from the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department confirms that the Chenab River is currently experiencing high flood levels at Khanki and Qadirabad, while maintaining a medium flood status at Marala.

The FFD daily report indicates that the Indus River at Tarbela and Chashma, the Kabul River at Nowshera, the Chenab River at Chiniot Bridge, and the Ravi River at Balloki are currently experiencing low flood levels. All other major rivers are maintaining normal flow rates at their respective gauging stations.

Weather Warnings

The FFD has warned that a combination of a westerly weather system and strong monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal is expected to bring widespread rain, wind, and thunderstorms. This may include isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall across the catchments of all major rivers.

As a result, river flows are expected to increase significantly through July 25.

Furthermore, the FFD has predicted flash flooding in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, as well as in various streams throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan. Urban flooding risks have been identified for several cities, including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Okara, and Sahiwal.

For the upcoming 24-hour period, the FFD forecasts widespread rain, wind, and thunderstorms, with the potential for heavy to very heavy downpours in the upper catchments of major rivers, Islamabad, and Kashmir.

Similar weather patterns are expected across numerous districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Abbottabad, Peshawar, Swat, and Mansehra, among others. In Punjab, rainfall is anticipated in cities such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Gujrat. Additionally, similar conditions are likely for parts of Sindh, such as Badin and Mirpurkhas, and Balochistan regions including Loralai and Zhob.

Regarding reservoir capacities, Wapda’s latest report shows the Tarbela Dam at a water level of 1,519.11 feet with live storage of 3.891 million acre feet (MAF). Mangla Dam stands at 1,183.90 feet with 3.297 MAF of live storage, while Chashma Lake has reached a level of 645.50 feet with 0.157 MAF of live storage.

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