LAHORE - The Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) of Punjab has issued a warning about possible floods in River Sutlej, Beas and Ravi as level of water at key barrages was continuously increasing.

The administration has been advised to initiate necessary measures to cope with the challenge. The Flood Forecasting Division Lahore said that from heavy to extremely-heavy rainfall had been observed over the upper and lower catchments of Rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi during the last 72 hours.

Discharges from Bhakra Dam and merging the flows from lower catchments were likely to synchronise to form medium-to-high flood level in River Sutlej. The water flow could attain 80,000 to 90,000 cusecs with sharp peak up to 150,000 cusecs, starting from between August 20 to 21 at Sulemanki, 70,000-9,0000 cusecs (medium flood level) with sharp peak up to 130,000 cusecs (high flood level) starting from August 23 and at Islam 70,000-100,000 cusecs (low-medium flood level) starting from August 25.

Administration advised to adopt precautionary measures

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has summoned an emergency meeting here to discuss the situation arising out of the release of water into river Sutlej by India. The meeting would also review arrangements for relief activities.

The chief minister was personally monitoring the precautionary measures and relief activities aimed at dealing with the possible threat of flood.