Pakistan: Over 24,000 people relocated after high-level flooding warning

Lahore [Pakistan], August 26 (ANI): As Pakistan's Punjab braces for a "high flood", more than 24000 people have been relocated from the low-lying areas of Indus, Chenab, Ravi and Satluj rivers, Dawn reported on Tuesday.

Dawn said, referring to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) that a flood alert had been issued in Punjab due to heavy rains, with a risk of flooding in the upper reaches of these rivers due to heavy rain likely in the next 48 hours.

Citing rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad, Dawn reported that people have been evacuated from the low-lying areas of these rivers since Saturday. These rivers were experiencing low to high flooding due to torrential monsoon rains in the catchment areas and more rain was expected over the next 48 hours.

According to Dawn, a high-level flooding warning had been issued at the Harike location of the Satluj River: the upstream and downstream areas of Harike were facing a high-level flood situation. The water flow in the Sutlej and adjacent rivers would further increase.

Separately, the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) issued a flood alert for the River Ravi over the next 48 hours, indicating a medium-level threat.

India has communicated details about possible flooding in Pakistan, officials said on Monday.

The Indian High Commission in Islamabad conveyed the information to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, stressing that the communication was made entirely on humanitarian grounds.

The warning comes as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Pakistan ordered the evacuation of people from riverine and low-lying areas on Monday ahead of heavy rains and flood predictions, Dawn reported.

UN News reported that the severe weather is forecast to continue into early September, thereby raising the risk of further flooding, landslides and crop losses, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Pakistan has seen monsoon season bring in widespread destruction in recent years. In 2022, unprecedented floods killed more than 1,700 people, displaced millions, and caused an estimated USD 40 billion in economic losses.

Pakistan faces regular monsoon flooding from June to September, often resulting in deadly landslides, infrastructure damage and large-scale displacement, particularly in densely populated or poorly drained regions. (ANI)

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