Sialkot (The COW News Digital) The monsoon rains, combined with deliberate water release from India, have triggered a high-level flood at the Head Marala barrage on the Chenab River, with water flow surpassing 950,000 cusecs. Authorities have deployed the army and Army Aviation for rescue and relief operations as water levels near critical limits.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), water discharge at Head Marala has reached over 950,000 cusecs, while at Khanki it stands at 432,000 cusecs. The barrage’s full capacity is 1.1 million cusecs. Officials warn that if levels continue rising, protective embankments toward Gujrat may be breached, threatening multiple villages.
Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali confirmed that the district has already received 405 millimeters of rainfall. In response, all educational institutions were closed on August 27, and residents were instructed to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep away from streams and drains. Section 144 has been imposed across the district, with legal action for violations.
The PDMA emphasized that this flood situation recalls the 2014 disaster when a similar 900,000 cusec flow at Head Marala caused widespread devastation. Rising waters in the Chenab River have also triggered alarms in Khanki and surrounding areas, prompting the National Disaster Management Authority to order immediate evacuation to safe zones.
Punjab government has formally requested army deployment in Sialkot for swift relief operations. Army and Army Aviation units will assist in rescue efforts alongside district disaster management teams. Roads have been submerged, and thousands of residents are affected as Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers swell dangerously.
In Gujrat, water has started overflowing from the Chenab’s Kari Sharif protective embankment, flooding roads and endangering nearby villages. Local administration teams are yet to reach affected areas such as Sarakh Pur, Kari Sharif, and Khalil Pur, leading to public anger over perceived delays.
At Bhamber Nala, rising waters threaten surrounding villages including Dadu Barsala, Gujarkotla, and Plawari, with floodwaters narrowing to just 15 feet from homes. Rescue operations from Jarmiya Jhanda village in Shakargarh are ongoing. Assistant Commissioner Adnan Atif and Deputy Commissioner Syed Hasan Raza are overseeing operations in Narowal and adjacent areas.
So far, 294 people have been safely rescued from the Ravi River. Rescue teams from Rawalpindi, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, and Hafizabad have been relocated to Narowal to assist, while heavy rainfall in Gujrat has further complicated the situation. Drainage issues in several areas remain unresolved, intensifying the flood emergency.
