ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province issued a flood alert for River Sutlej and its adjoining tributaries on Monday over the possibility that India would release water from its dams within the next 72 hours. 

River Sutlej is one of the five rivers that flow through Pakistan’s Punjab and runs from the Himalayas through India into eastern Pakistan. The flood alert by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab comes as monsoon rains continue to batter parts of Pakistan, killing 305 people and injuring 734 since June 26. Punjab has reported the highest casualties from rain-related incidents, 164.

In a press release, the PDMA Punjab said there is a risk of low-level flooding at the Ganda Singh village on the banks of River Sutlej over the possibility that India may release water within the next 72 hours. 

“Water discharge from upstream reservoirs may increase the flow in River Sutlej,” the PDMA Punjab said. “Water levels in Indian dams have risen unusually during the past week.”

The PDMA Punjab said it has issued alerts to the commissioners of Lahore, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan cities due to the rising water levels in the river. It said alerts have also been sent to the deputy commissioners of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan cities.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said India’s Bhakra Dam located on River Sutlej has reached 61 percent of its storage capacity while the Pong Dam and Thein Dam have reached 76 percent and 64 percent of their storage capacities, respectively. 

PDMA Punjab said it was monitoring the water levels in the river continuously. 

“Alerts have been issued to local government, agriculture, irrigation, health, forest, livestock, and transport departments,” Kathia was quoted as saying by the PDMA. 

The PDMA director general instructed all departments to stay on high alert, telling them to complete all precautionary arrangements in advance.

“Emergency control room staff should remain on 24-hour alert,” he said. “Rescue 1122 disaster response teams should also remain on high alert.”

He advised the masses to remain updated about the situation, adhere to safety precautions and avoid bathing or swimming in rivers, canals, streams, or ponds.

Pakistan, one of the worst-affected countries due to climate change effects, has experienced erratic weather patterns over the past couple of years. These irregular weather patterns include droughts, torrential rains and heat waves. 

Unusually heavy rains in June 2022 triggered flash floods across the country, killing 1,700 and inflicting damages more than $30 billion as per estimates. Weather experts linked the rains and melting of glaciers to climate change.