Islamabad August 2 2024: Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Mahr Sahibzad Khan Thursday revealed that the high flood situation can occur in Chenab River during this monsoon season, if the rain continues with the same pace.
“The PMD is closely monitoring the water levels in the reservoirs and sending timely information to all the concerned authorities to take precautionary measures for avoiding any untoward situation”, the Director General said during a press conference held here.
Briefing about the current situation of reservoirs, Sahibzad Khan said that the current level of water in Tarbela is 1526.89 ft while the maximum conservation level is 1550.00 ft.
The current water level in Mangla is 1202.15 ft out of the total conservation level of 1242.00 while in Rawal Dam, the current water level is 1739.00 ft and the maximum conservation level is 1752.00 ft.
In Simly Dam, the current water level is 2277.5 ft out of the total conservation level of 2315.00 ft while in Khanpur Dam, the water level is 1942.4 ft and the maximum conservation level is 1982.00 ft.
The Director General indicated fewer chances of floods considering the overall rainfall situation so far however, he said, the high flood situation can be developed in Chenab river, if rain continues with same intensity.
He said that after the rain spell of Aug 01-06, there are chances of another rain spell August 07-15 about which the PMD will issue an advisory.
The first two weeks of August are expected to witness above normal rains, he said.
Giving the overview of rainfall during the month of July, he said that Pakistan has received -07 percent below normal rainfall in July with Balochistan received 23 percent more rainfall, Punjab 12 percent more rainfall, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa 24 percent less rainfall, Sindh 45 percent less rainfall, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 46 percent less rainfall and Gilgit Baltistan 66 percent less rainfall.
The significant rainfall recorded during monsoon till now included 662 mm in Lahore (Airport) followed by 480 mm in Sialkot (Airport), 403 mm in Rawalpindi (Chaklala), 332 mm in Sialkot (City), 323 mm in Gujrat and 317 mm in Mandi Bahauddin.
He disclosed that the Lahore has witnessed record-breaking rainfall of 360 mm (24 hours rainfall) on August 01. Earlier the rainfall of 332.5 mm (24 hours rainfall) was recorded on July 31, 1980.
About the impact of rain on agriculture sector, Sahibzad Khan said that the rain would be beneficial for the rice and sugarcane crops.
Sahibzad Khan highlighted that there were chances of more than normal rainfall trend for most parts of the country during the month of August.
However, North East Punjab and Lower Sindh are expected to have slightly above normal rainfall during August. The day time maximum temperatures are expected to remain normal in most parts of the country, he said.
