The Indus River System Authority on Friday released 22,000 cusecs more water from Tarbela Dam to maintain the current flow in Indus River downstream Jinnah Barrage upto Kotri Barrage in lower Sindh following drop in the running water in Indus and River Kabul during the past five days.
Punjab Irrigation engineers told Business Recorder that 245,000 cusecs water was flowing in River Indus and 89,000 cusecs in River Kabul on 1st July, which dropped to 160,000 cusecs and 48,000 cusecs respectively on Friday. They said that Irsa was releasing 240,000 cusecs in the Indus Zone from Jinnah Barrage to Kotri Barrage for sowing, growing and maturing the Kharif crops. As the water flow in the four live rivers had been decreasing since beginning of the current month, the water regulatory body had increased water discharges downstream the Tarbela Dam to meet irrigation water needs of the four provinces, they added.
According to 5th July report of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), 161,200 cusecs water is running in River Indus at Tarbela, 48,200 cusecs water in River Kabul at Nowshera, 37,400 cusecs in River Jhelum at Mangla and 61,700 cusecs water in River Chenab at Marala headworks. In Sindh province, 186,100 cusecs water is flowing into Guddu Barrage, 120,000 cusecs water in Sukkur Barrage and 45,024 cusecs water in Kotri Barrage. 8,194 cusecs water is being released into the Indus delta from the Kotri Barrage.
WEATHER FORECAST: A well marked seasonal low lies over North Balochistan and adjoining areas with its trough extending North-eastwards. Monsoon currents are reaching into eastern & upper parts of the country. Weather forecast for today: Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain dust-thunderstorm associated with gusty winds is expected at isolated places of Kashmir, Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sukkur, Kalat divisions and lower Sindh.
Rainfall past 24 hrs (mm): Mirpurkhas 22; Mithi 10; Chhor, Mangla 08, Lahore (AP) 05; Kotli 02; Jhelum Rawalakot, Hyderabad 01 mm. Hottest places past 24 hrs: Dalbandin 47°C; Sibi 46°C; Bhakkar, Jaccobabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana & Sukkur 45°C.
