Severe heatwave grips Pakistan: Country sees sharp decline in water flow, dams near dead level

Islamabad: Pakistan has recorded a sharp decline in water flow from its dams in the Indus Basin, reportedly due to India’s move to control the flow of western rivers. According to Pakistani data, there has been around 15% drop in water released from various dams this week compared to the same period last year.

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Kharif crop at risk Heatwave to exacerbate crisis

On June 5, the water release in Punjab dropped to 1.24 lakh cusecs, down from 1.44 lakh cusecs on the same date last year. The latest data shows that the water level in the Indus at Tarbela Dam, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has fallen to 1,465 metres—dangerously close to its dead level of 1,402 metres. Similarly, at Chashma Dam in Punjab, the Indus River level is at 644 metres, just above the dead level of 638 metres. Meanwhile, the Mangla Dam on the Jhelum River in Mirpur stands at 1,163 metres, only slightly above its dead level of 1,050 metres.

The “dead level” refers to the level below which there are no outlets available to drain the reservoir water using gravity.

Kharif crop at risk

“The situation in Pakistan is clearly grave, especially for the late Kharif season from June to September,” a senior government source told CNN-News18. While the arrival of the monsoon may bring some relief, the Kharif crop in Punjab is currently at serious risk, the source added.

Pakistan is forecasting a 21% water shortage during the Kharif season, which runs until June 10, attributing the shortfall to India’s actions. The situation is particularly dire at Marala in Sialkot, Punjab, where the mean discharge in the Chenab River dropped to just 3,064 cusecs on June 5, down from 26,645 cusecs on May 28, according to Pakistani data.

Heatwave to exacerbate crisis

Compounding the crisis, Pakistan is expected to experience a severe heatwave beginning June 8. Daytime temperatures are forecast to rise 5 to 7°C above normal across central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

In a statement issued last month, Pakistan claimed that a “crisis has been created by India’s short supply of water in the Chenab River,” warning that this could lead to severe shortages during the Kharif season. Pakistan has gone as far as to label India’s actions an “act of war,” cautioning that the next conflict could arise over water.