950820

Flood level recedes

at Kotri Barrage

RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: The peak flood has already passed through Kotri Barrage and the water level of River Indus has receded by 14235 cusecs upstream and an equal quantity downstream during the last 24 hours. The water gauge has also come down from 24.4 to 24.27. The maximum discharge recorded at Kotri Barrage at 6 p.m. on Sunday was recorded at 785,212 cusecs upstream and 757,200 cusecs downstream.

The water gauge at Dadu-Moro bridge has also come down from 130.8 on Saturday to 130.0 on Sunday.

However, at Dollah bridge, Thatta-Sujawal, the water gauge during the last 24 hours has risen by 0.1 where the peak flood is passing now.

The XEN Agha Aijaz, who is the incharge of Kotri Barrage told a group of journalists who visited the Kotri Barrage protective bunds, said that the peak flood had already passed through the barrage and all the protective bunds were quite safe.

He denied that any breach had occurred near Kotri town as reported in a section of press and added that the water had entered the katcha area which was quite normal.

PML(N) leaders Nawab Zamiruddin Khan, Haji Mohammad Deen and the incharge of the Women Wing Ms. Manzar Rawal also visited the protective embankments.

Meanwhile Sindh Minister for Irrigation, Haji Zafar Leghari, who has now put up a camp at Hyderabad, also inspected the protective bunds on both sides of River Indus and said that there was no cause whatsoever for alarm as the peak flood has already started falling into the Arabian Ocean.

Sindh Food Minister Syed Mohsin Shah Bukhari, who is incharge of Hyderabad District also inspected the embankments.

Latest reports, however, said that the water level at Guddu Barrage has again increased by 6882 cusecs during the last twelve hours while at Sukkur Barrage it has receded by 1292 cusecs.

Agencies add: However, Lower Indus is flowing at medium stage at Guddu, with a discharge of 4,58,000 cusecs. It will gradually fall at this station during the next 24 hours.

At Sukkur the river is flowing at medium flood stage with a discharge of 4,28,000 cusecs. It will further fall during the next 24 hours.

At Kotri the river is flowing at very high flood stage with a discharge of 7,93,000 cusecs. It will gradually fall at this station during the next 24 hours.

MANCHER LAKE

Mancher Lake level recorded at 0600 hours on Sunday 117.70 and is above danger level. It may further rise nominally during the next 24 hours, if there are rains in the Khirthar Range.

UPPER INDUS REGION

The river Jhelum is flowing at normal flood at Rasul. The river Chennab is flowing at medium flood at Panjnad. The river Sutlej and Ravi are flowing at normal and medium flood stage at Sulemanki and SSindhnai respectively.

SITUATION REPORT

The river level is falling gradually and has become active at some places and re-eroded some portions of stone pitching stone open at K.K. Feeder Bund RD 83+350 to 83+600 and S.M. Bund at mile 12/6 to 12/7 and Bakhri Loop Bund mile 0/0 to 0/4. No report of breaches at any places of front line bunds is received from any quarters. The breaches in F.P. Bund have been closed except a few ones on which the strengthening work iss in progress. The front bund lines on both banks of the river are safe and sound and situation is under full control.

BHAKRA DAM FLOW

LAHORE: The releases made by India from Bhakra Dam into river Sutlej are not of flood generating nature, said Abdul Majid, Director National Flood Forecasting Bureau (NFFB).

While commenting on news item appeared in a section of press regarding releases from Bhakra Dam, he said that the inflow at Bhakra Dam over Sutlej in Indian Punjab was 47,000 cusecs while the releases here amounted to only 25,000 cusecs. Similarly, he added, Indian authorities were releasing only 12,000 cusecs from Pong Dam over river Beas against the inflow of 31128 cusecs.

"In this scenario, there is nothing to be worried about", Majid said. He said that the Sutlej peak had already passed through Islam Headworks. There was no immediate chance of any new peak in this eastern river, he added.

Majid said that the flood situation in the Punjab province was quite under control.

According to NWFP report Indus was flowing at œ31000 cusecs and 31000 cusecs at Tarbela and Chasma respectively.

Meanwhile met office have forecast scattered rain/showers during the next 24 hours throughout the country. During the last 24 hours Kotri received the highest rain which was gauged at 17 mm while Lahore received 4 mm rain during the same period. Meanwhile Islamabad, Jhelum received 2 mm, while Palandari, Domel Sialkot, Lahore airport received 1 mm during last 24 hours.