National News
FFC warns of abnormal floods in Punjab, Sindh
Posted on: Fri July 30, 2010
National Highlights
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) on Thursday warned the authorities concerned of abnormal floods in Punjab and Sindh .
An advisory has been issued for taking precautionary measures in Punjab and Sindh as Chashma and Guddu barrages are about to reach the dangerous flood levels, an official at the FFC told The News . The official said Guddu downstream areas in Sindh were in the high flood zone .
Besides the FFC, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has also warned Sindh of receiving major water influx within next three to five days during which the Guddu barrage may receive up to 7,00,000 cusecs daily water, an exceptional situation .
All downstream areas of Tarbela and Mangla dams up to Kotri are at high or medium flood level, the FFC official added . The FFC asked the Water and Power Development Authority (Wadpa) and the Irsa to ensure an efficient water discharge strategy .
River Kabul is already experiencing high flood with rising trend in Warsak-Nowshera . Water level in Tarbela stands at 1516 . 61 feet against its maximum point of 1550 feet, and in Mangle at 1204 . 20 feet against its maximum point of 1210 feet . They are 33 . 39 feet and 5 . 80 feet below their respective maximum conservation levels .
According to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Lahore, the well-marked seasonal low pressure lies over Balochistan and adjoining areas . A strong monsoon current from Arabian Sea is penetrating into sub-mountainous areas of Punjab and Kashmir up to 5,000 feet .
The existing situation in the country as reported by the FFD may result in widespread thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls over Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, north-eastern parts of Balochistan and Kashmir including upper catchments of rivers Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlaj, besides Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore and Bahawalpur divisions during the next 24 hours . Scattered thunderstorm and rain is also expected over Gilgit-Baltistan and Sindh during the same period .
Courtesy : The News