Torrential rain forecast puts six Punjab cities on flood watch

According to The FFD, the Indus river at Kalabagh is anticipated to remain in low to medium flood, while low-level flooding was expected at Tarbela, Chashma, Taunsa and Guddu. The river Chenab at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad is expected to experience low-level flooding. The river Kabul at Nowshera is also probable to reach the low-flood level. According to The forecast, the river Ravi at Sidhnai is anticipated to attain low-flood level, while at Balloki, it is expected to remain in the same category.

For the next four days (August 18 to 21), the FFD forecast that the Jhelum River at Mangla is expected to attain low-flood level. Rim-gauging stations along the Chenab and Ravi rivers are also anticipated to reach low-flood levels.

While tributaries of the Kabul River and hill torrents in the Dera Ghazi Khan division faced a risk of flash flooding, the adjoining streams of the Chenab and Ravi could experience low to medium flooding.

The latest forecast comes amid a fresh spell of monsoon rains, with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warning of widespread rainfall in Punjab through August 21 and putting local administrations on high alert.

What happened

By contrast, the Water and Power Authority in its daily report showed an inflow of 258,700 cusecs and an outflow of 258,100 cusecs at Tarbela on the Indus River. At Nowshera, the Kabul River was carrying 32,500 cusecs, with an equal outflow.

The flow at Khairabad Bridge was recorded at 277,500 cusecs. While the Chenab at Marala had an inflow of 67,000 cusecs and an outflow of 42,400 cusecs, the Jhelum at Mangla recorded an inflow of 26,300 cusecs against an outflow of 7,000 cusecs.

At the barrages, Jinnah recorded an inflow of 373,100 cusecs and an outflow of 365,000 cusecs. While Taunsa recorded 341,200 cus­e­­cs and 320,800 cusecs respectively, chash­­ma had an inflow of 334,500 cusecs against an outflow of 325,700 cusecs.

While Sukkur had an inflow of 176,200 cusecs and an outflow of 122,200 cusecs, guddu recorded an inflow of 242,500 cusecs and an outflow of 206,100 cusecs.

The details

At Kotri, the inflow stood at 157,300 cusecs and the outflow at 114,900 cusecs. While Panjnad had an inflow of 45,900 cusecs and an outflow of 31,300 cusecs, trimmu recorded 39,800 cusecs against an outflow of 27,800 cusecs.

Dam levels

While its live storage was recorded at 5.580 million acre-feet (MAF), tarbela’s water level stood at 1,550 feet, equal to its maximum conservation level. Its minimum operating level is 1,402 feet.

Mangla’s level stood at 1,211.85 feet against a maximum conservation level of 1,242 feet, with live storage of 5.015 MAF. Its minimum operating level is 1,050 feet. Cha­shma’s water level was recorded at 648.50 feet, just below its maxim­­um conservation level of 649 feet.

Why it matters

While the minimum operating level is 638.15 feet, its live storage stood at 0.285 MAF. The report said the inflows and outflows of the Indus at Tarbela, Jinnah and Chashma, the Kabul at Nowshera and the Jhelum at Mangla represented mean flows over 24 hours.

Other flows were gauged at 6am on Monday.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2026