Sehwan faces flood risk as Manchar Lake water levels surge

The water level in Manchar Lake has surged significantly due to torrential rains across the interior regions of Sindh, leading to floodwaters spilling from the lake and advancing towards urban areas.

According to reports, the floodwaters from Manchar Lake are rapidly moving towards the residential areas near the Jhankara region of Sehwan, putting the city at severe risk.

The advancing waters have already submerged several connecting roads, further isolating the affected regions.

There are also concerns that the flood situation could worsen as the stormwater from rivers and streams in Punjab and Balochistan is expected to flow into the Sindh province through the Indus River.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration announced today that the spillways of Rawal Dam will be opened on Sunday at 4 pm as a precautionary measure due to rising water levels.

The water level in the dam has reached 1,752 feet, prompting the authorities to take this step to prevent potential flooding.

Continuous rains on Friday last week led to a flood-like situation in the eight bazaars surrounding the Clock Tower intersection, causing significant disruptions for citizens buying essential kitchen items.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) officials recorded a maximum of 96 mm of rain in Allama Iqbal Colony.

Heavy rainfall was also recorded in Ghulam Muhammad Abad (84mm), Madina Town (82mm), Dogar Basti (79mm) and Gulistan Colony (73mm).

Nineteen emergency relief camps, established across Faisalabad at the onset of the monsoon season in July 2024, were activated to address the situation.

Meanwhile, on August 30, the gas supply to Quetta and several other cities in Balochistan was disrupted after a major flood damaged a key gas pipeline.

The incident occurred when floodwaters in the Bolan area struck an 18-inch diameter pipeline of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).

According to an SSGC spokesperson, the damage to the pipeline resulted in the suspension of gas supply to Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Kolpur Machh, Pishin, and surrounding areas.

The repair work on the pipeline will commence once security clearance is obtained due to the prevailing law and order situation in the region.

In a rain-related incident, seven members of a family, including women and children, were rescued after being trapped by floodwaters near Tor Khazi Dam in Loralai, Balochistan.

The rescue operation, conducted by the district administration and police, successfully brought the stranded family to safety.

According to Deputy Commissioner Mehran Baloch, the family became trapped when a sudden surge of floodwater swept through the area.

Today, authorities in Rawalpindi extended the rain and flood season from September 15 to September 30 following a recent forecast by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) of a fresh spell of heavy monsoon rains in the region.

The rain and flood emergency will continue for 15 more days, with all relevant institutions remaining on red alert. District Officer Civil Defence Talib Hussain announced that the rain emergency and flood emergency in Rawalpindi will be lifted on Sep 30.

Meanwhile, the national Emergencies Operations Centre has forecasted monsoon rains across various regions from 2 to 5 September, with moderate rainfall expected in northeastern Punjab and light showers anticipated in Pothohar, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.