Pak officials warn of another massive flood in Punjab, Sindh

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani authorities have warned that another flood may hit the Guddu, Sukkur and Chashma barrages this weekend to further inundate Punjab and Sindh provinces.

The warning has been issued after ‘exceptionally high’ floods developed upstream in the Indus and Chenab rivers.

Authorities said that the Indus was in ‘very high’ flood at the Chashma barrage where flows crossed 803,575 cusecs on Wednesday evening.

The Taunsa barrage is receiving 750,000 cusecs and the Trimmu barrage on the Chenab 326,000 cusecs.

The ‘exceptionally high flood’ carrying cumulative flows in excess of 1.05 million cusecs from Taunsa and Trimmu may reach Guddu in two to three days, The Dawn reports.

The officials also said that flood peak at Guddu is likely to inundate low-lying areas of Khairpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki and Sukkur districts after August 13.

Over 1,600 people have been killed and 15 million affected as raging floodwaters continue to wreak havoc in the country.

It first struck the western province of Baluchistan on July 22 before inundating the worst-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In addition to causing major human loses, it has destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, washed away crops and livestock.

Relief and rescue work has been hit badly by continuous rains, particularly in the north western region.

The United Nations says that Pakistan will need billions of dollars to recover from the deluge, which is being described as the worst in the last 80 years. (ANI)