Pakistan faces fresh flood threat as heavy rains and Indian dam releases swell rivers

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is bracing for widespread flooding as heavy rainfall in its northern regions, coupled with increased water releases from India, threatens major rivers and urban centres, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday.

The NDMA issued an alert for the Sutlej river, where water discharge has spiked due to intense downpours in its upstream catchments. The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also warned of potential flooding along the Chenab, Sutlej, and Ravi rivers through August 8. The looming crisis stems from a powerful mix of monsoon currents and a persistent westerly trough, driving heavy rain across Pakistan’s upper and central areas, as well as northern India.

Affected Indian states, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and occupied Jammu and Kashmir, feed into the Sutlej and Beas rivers, amplifying downstream risks. On Thursday, water flow in the Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala, downstream of Ferozepur, rose from 28,657 to 33,653 cusecs in an hour, still within normal limits but edging closer to flood levels.

India’s release of water from the Pong Dam on the Beas, combined with rising levels at the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej (now at 55 percent capacity), could push the Sutlej into a low-level flood this week, authorities say

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasts moderate, intermittent rain that could nudge rivers into low-flood stages. The Indus river is already at low flood levels at Tarbela, Guddu, and Sukkur, while the Ravi’s tributaries face a similar threat within 36 hours. Urban flooding looms over low-lying areas of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, and Islamabad through Wednesday, with Peshawar and Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also at risk as local streams swell.

In hilly north, the PMD warns that landslides and mudslides could hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Murree, and Galiyat, where rainfall is expected to peak Tuesday night into Wednesday.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia urged local agencies to prepare. “We must stay vigilant and ready for any scenario,” he said, directing government, agriculture, irrigation, health, and transport departments to mobilise. The NDMA and PMD are tracking river levels and weather patterns, advising residents in vulnerable areas to monitor updates and follow evacuation orders if issued. The new spell will be the sixth monsoon spell of the season, expected to subside after August 7.