High flood of 560,000 cusecs to hit Kotri Barrage

In view of expected flood, all canals originating from barrage have been closed for an unspecified period

Web Desk

September 03, 2022

A view of increased water at Indus River after flooding at Kotri Bridge, on September 2, 2022. — APP

All canals originating from barrage closed for unspecified period.
57 people die in 24 hours as floods continue to ravage country.
River Indus at Guddu and Sukkur is at a high flood level today.

KARACHI: A high flood of 560,000 cusecs will pass through Kotri Barrage today, the Sukkur Barrage control room in-charge said on Saturday, with the undeterred water causing widespread devastation and fatalities in different areas of the country.

Kotri Barrage lies on the Indus River between Jamshoro and Hyderabad in Sindh, where the situation has been bleak ever since the flooding started last month.

Sukkur Barrage was in high flood as the reservoir received flows of 600,000 cusecs of water from Taunsa Barrage, said the official.

He maintained that 29,000 cusecs of water had been added to the reservoir during the past 24 hours.

In view of the expected flood, all the canals originating from the barrage have been closed for an unspecified period, he added.

The flow of water at the Kotri Barrage can be seen in this photo on the FFDs website. — The flow of water at the Kotri Barrage can be seen in this photo on the FFD's website.

A flow of 559,998 cusecs was recorded upstream at the Kotri Barrage, while the downstream flow was 559,998 cusecs, said the official.

The high flood was heading towards Kotri Barrage, he added.

As per the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), Kotri Barrage had an inflow of 513,669 cusecs upstream and 503,464 cusecs downstream at 6am today.

Nearly 57 people have died in the last 24 hours as floods continue to ravage the country, according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Of the total figure, 38 alone lost their lives in Sindh, 17 in KP and one each in Balochistan and AJK, said the NDMA.

The overall death toll from the devastating floods, which have affected millions across the country, has crossed the 1,200 mark.

In today's report, the FFD said that River Indus at Guddu and Sukkur is at a high flood level, while at the Taunsa and River Kabul at Nowshera, the level is low.

The FFD also forecast a fresh trough of the westerly wave lying over Northeast Afghanistan and adjoining areas. It added that a weak seasonal low lies over Northeast Balochistan and adjoining areas.

"Moderate moist currents from the Arabian Sea are penetrating upper parts of the country at up to 3,000 feet," the division said.

In the next 24 hours, the FFD said scattered thunderstorms/rain of moderate intensity with one or two heavy falls are expected over the upper catchments of all the major rivers.

Moderate rainfall is expected in Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi Gujranwala, while isolated thunderstorms/rain are expected over Lahore Division.