Pressure on Punjab rivers likely to increase: NDMA chairman

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik has said that pressure on the Punjab rivers likely to increase.

Addressing a news conference, Lieutenant General Inamur Rahman stated that Pakistan is currently in the eighth and penultimate spell of rainfall for 2025. He reiterated that heavy precipitation has been recorded in northern Punjab and occupied Kashmir, with over 300 mm of rain around Jammu and 600 mm near Sialkot. Water flow in the Indus River remains normal up to Kalabagh, Chashma, and Taunsa.

He said: “Rainfall exceeded 300 mm around Jammu, while areas near Sialkot experienced up to 600 mm. The floodwaters have now entered Pakistan’s territory through the Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers.”

“The Chenab River at Head Marala peaked at 700,000 cusecs, presently decreasing to approximately 550,000 cusecs due to reduced rainfall in north-eastern areas. Flash floods and cloudbursts in occupied Kashmir have caused significant damage, submerging settlements and damaging infrastructure. Floodwaters from the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers have now crossed into Pakistan’s borders,” the NDMA chairman.

“At Head Khanki, a flood discharge of 1 million cusecs is causing increased pressure on Qadirabad in the coming days. Army engineers and PDMA Punjab are considering creating a breach to alleviate this pressure. Water levels between Khanki and Qadirabad are expected to remain constant over the next 24 hours,” he added.

The NDMA chief said, “A flood of 230,000 cusecs currently flows at the Ravi Jesar site, maintaining a pressure of 78,000 cusecs at Shahdara. This pressure is rising at Shahdara and Barki. Further rainfall is anticipated within 12 to 24 hours in Sialkot, Narowal, and Gujranwala, which will increase the strain on the rivers.”

He said, “Additionally, water has been released from Indian dams into the Sutlej, where heavy rainfall has also occurred. A significant flood of 250,000 cusecs is passing through Ganda Singh, comparable to the 250,000 to 300,000 cusecs flood of 2023, during which evacuation programmes were implemented.”