Flood Situation Worsens in Punjab Rivers as India Releases Water; Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab at Danger Levels

Mumbai / Punjab: The flood situation in Punjab has taken a critical turn as India releases large volumes of water into rivers, causing dangerously high water levels in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers.

In Gujarat, the floodwaters of the Chenab River have begun to overflow the protective embankment at Karri Sharif, breaching roads and halting traffic. Residents of nearby villages are facing severe difficulties. The water flow at Head Marala has crossed 950,000 cusecs — reminiscent of the devastating 2014 floods that affected nearly 50,000 people.

In Shakargarh, the protective embankment of the Ravi River at Bhiku Chak has collapsed, submerging multiple villages. Relief teams have yet to reach several affected areas, including Sarakhpur, Karri Sharif, Khaleelpur, and other nearby villages. Meanwhile, the flood wave has entered the Bahawalnagar region, impacting 21 villages.

The Bhimber Nala (stream) is in full spate, threatening nearby villages including Dadu Barsala, Gujar Kotla, and Pilauri. The eroding waterline is now just 15 feet away from some of these communities. In Jarmian Jhanda village of Shakargarh, rescue operations are underway, with Assistant Commissioner Adnan Atif and Deputy Commissioner of Narowal, Syed Hassan Raza, directly supervising the relief efforts.

Rescue teams are facing immense challenges due to continuous heavy rainfall. Despite the conditions, 294 people have been successfully evacuated from the Ravi River so far. Additional rescue teams from Rawalpindi, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, and Hafizabad have been deployed to assist in Narowal. However, torrential rains in Gujrat city have further worsened the situation, with poor drainage exacerbating the crisis in many localities.

At Head Marala, the inflow in the Chenab River has exceeded 950,000 cusecs, indicating an extremely high-level flood. At Khanki, the flow has reached 432,000 cusecs. In the Sutlej River, an extremely high-level flood is being recorded at Ganda Singh Wala with a flow of 245,236 cusecs. Similarly, the Ravi River at Jassar is also experiencing an extreme flood with water flow surpassing 202,000 cusecs.

Authorities continue to monitor the evolving situation closely as rescue and relief operations intensify across the region.