Chenab flood level eases from medium to low; PMD forecasts more rain in upper parts of Punjab from July 29

Lead

The Chenab River continued to witness flooding on Sunday, but with the flow easing from medium to low, according to an update from the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The Met Office has forecast a fresh rainfall spell from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, as well as Islamabad, upper Punjab and northern parts of the country.

Dawn reported that the PDMA said in a statement issued on Sunday morning that while rivers in the province continued to flood due to rain, the flow in the waterways had remained stable over the past 24 hours.

Coverage Comparison

Dawn provided multiple reports on the flood situation. One article focused on the subsiding situation in the Chenab River with detailed flow data from the PDMA. Another report, based on the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), highlighted medium-level flooding at key points along the Chenab and warned of rising flood risks, including flash floods and urban flooding. Both reports carried information from official sources, with the PDMA data focusing on the current status and the NDMA outlook giving a forward-looking warning.

The tone of the first report was informative, while the NDMA-based report was more cautionary, emphasizing threats and precautions.

Key Claims

According to the PDMA, there was low-level flooding in the Indus River at Kalabagh, Chashma, and Taunsa waterworks. At these points, water flow was recorded at 334,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 370,000 cusecs at Chashma, and 313,000 cusecs at Taunsa around 6am.

In the Chenab River, the flooding situation was subsiding, reaching a low-level flood at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Trimmu barrages, as reported by Dawn. The water flow at these barrages was measured at 143,000 cusecs at Marala, 138,000 cusecs at Khanki, 135,000 cusecs at Qadirabad, and 184,000 cusecs at Trimmu.

A low-level flood also persisted in the Ravi River at the Balloki and Sidhnai headworks, with 81,000 cusecs at Balloki and 60,000 cusecs at Sidhnai. The water flow at Shahdara in the Ravi River remained normal, and the Sutlej and Jhelum rivers were also flowing at normal levels, according to the PDMA.

The PDMA added that there was a medium flood situation in Narowal's Basantar Nullah, while a high-level flood persisted in Wazirabad's Phalko Nullah, with a flow of 5,000 cusecs.

Rainfall was recorded in various cities, with 115mm of rain in Noorpur Thal and 107mm in Gujranwala, as reported by Dawn citing the PDMA. Lahore also received rainfall according to the reports.

In a separate development, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported medium-level flooding at Khanki, Qadirabad, and Chiniot Bridge on the Chenab River, with the Palkhu Nala at Wazirabad also flowing at medium flood level. The NDMA said water flows in the Chenab were expected to increase further over the next 24 hours at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Chiniot Bridge, and that water levels at Trimmu Barrage were likely to rise to medium flood level during the same period.

The NDMA also warned of possible flash floods in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, seasonal streams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and parts of northern Balochistan over the next 24 to 48 hours. Urban flooding risks were forecast for Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Jhang, Multan, Hafizabad, and Lahore.

Additionally, the authority cautioned that landslides, debris flows, and sudden flash floods remained a major threat in mountainous regions during the monsoon season. Citizens were advised not to stop near riverbanks or steep slopes, and motorists were urged to check weather forecasts and road conditions before setting out.

The PDMA, in a statement, had also appealed to citizens residing in floodplains to immediately evacuate to safer places, with the director general quoted as saying, "All basic facilities and medicines will be provided in the flood relief camps."