KASUR India, failing to fulfil its responsibility under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan, released water into the Sutlej River, inundated 18 villages on both sides of the riverbed in Kasur district.

River Sutlej is expected to be in high flood at Ganda Singhwala, Kasur, with current downstream discharge of 70,000 cusec as the Indian released water will pass through the area in the wee hours of Thursday (today), according to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Currently, River Sutlej has risen to dangerous level of 20ft, 2ft short of the dead level. However, water level can rise to 140,000-150,000 cusec during the next 24 hours.

The peak will reach Sulemanki on Aug 23. The discharge will initially be 70,000 to 90,000 cusecs (medium flood level) but is expected to increase to 130,000 cusec (high flood) late in the night.

The flow at Islam Headworks will be around 70,000-100,000 cusec (low/medium flood), starting from the night of Aug 26. Officials in the Punjab government said the flow in Sutlej could be problematic for those settled in and round the riverbed.

Nevertheless, all measures have been adopted to protect them.

According to rescue sources, up to 90 percent of residents of the three most affected villages have been evacuated. The district administration has set up 17 relief camps to accommodate affected people.

Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has completed all preventive measures with the help of local administration, Rescue 1122 and Pakistan Army personnel and asked the people of rural areas along the banks of Sutlej to move to safer places.

It is to be noted that water flow in the eastern river given to India under the Indus Water Basin Treaty depends on the releases by India from the river’s Bhakra Dam and Pong over River Beas, which merges into Sutlej in Kapurthala, Indian Punjab.