Pakistan Floods intensified on Monday as heavy monsoon rainfall pushed water levels higher in the country’s major rivers, prompting fresh flood alerts, the operation of Tarbela Dam spillways and increased monitoring across the river system.

According to official data, the combined flow in Pakistan’s rivers reached 454,000 cusecs. Authorities said widespread monsoon rains and upstream spillway releases from Indian dams contributed to the surge in river flows.

The Chenab River carried around 130,000 cusecs, while the Indus River recorded flows of 232,000 cusecs at Tarbela, 243,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 247,000 cusecs at Chashma, 210,000 cusecs at Taunsa, 164,000 cusecs at Guddu and 110,000 cusecs at Sukkur Barrage.

Water levels also increased in the Jhelum River, where Mangla Dam recorded a flow of 57,000 cusecs. Total water storage in Pakistan’s reservoirs reached 6.1 million acre-feet.

Officials also warned that an intense heatwave in Skardu and other northern areas, where temperatures climbed to 37°C, had accelerated snow and glacier melt, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods.

Karachi Weather: PMD Forecasts Cloudy Skies with Drizzle and Light Rain

To manage the rising inflows, authorities operated the spillways at Tarbela Dam and maintained maximum possible vacant storage capacity to absorb additional floodwater from northern catchment areas. The spillways, opened on Sunday afternoon, were scheduled to close at noon on Monday.

The Flood Forecasting Division reported that low-level flooding continued at Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad on the Chenab River, while flows in the Indus, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej and Kabul rivers remained within normal limits at major monitoring stations.

Tarbela Dam’s water level stood at 1,506.01 feet, representing 58% of its storage capacity, compared with 80% on the same date last year. Mangla Dam reached 1,175.85 feet, equal to 40% of its capacity, compared with 50% a year earlier.

During the previous 24 hours, Head Marala recorded the highest flow on the Chenab River at 178,467 cusecs, followed by Head Khanki with 169,146 cusecs and Head Qadirabad with 157,156 cusecs, placing all three locations at medium flood level. The Jhelum River at Mangla recorded 70,000 cusecs.

The Flood Forecasting Division warned that medium to high flooding could develop at Head Marala, Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad within the next 24 hours. It also forecast low to medium flooding at Mangla on the Jhelum and low-level flooding at Tarbela, Kalabagh and Chashma on the Indus.

Water levels also rose in Deg Nullah at Kingra Bridge on the Ravi River, where flows reached 10,193 cusecs, placing the stream at a low flood stage.

Later in the day, officials reported inflows of 110,355 cusecs at Head Marala, with outflows of 88,082 cusecs, indicating continued low-level flooding. At Mangla, inflows into the Jhelum surged to 133,000 cusecs, resulting in medium flooding, although downstream releases remained within safe limits.

Rain-related deaths reported

Severe weather also caused fatalities in several parts of the country.

In Khyber district, flash floods triggered by torrential rain claimed the lives of three people in Landi Kotal. Rescue 1122 recovered the bodies of a woman, a man and a child during a joint operation with local volunteers.

Rescue officials urged residents to stay away from rivers, streams and seasonal waterways during heavy rainfall and to contact 1122 immediately in emergencies.

Heavy rainfall also affected Peshawar and Nowshera, bringing temperatures down after days of intense heat and humidity.

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a rain-triggered landslide struck a house in Hatli Bala village in Kotli district, killing a mother and her two children while injuring two other family members. Floodwaters also swept away a loaded truck in the area.

A cloudburst in Neelum Valley damaged infrastructure and disrupted daily life, while torrential rain across Hazara Division caused streams and seasonal nullahs to overflow, triggering landslides and blocking several roads.

In Abbottabad, flooding in Tarnawai Nullah cut off a key road in Reala, leaving hundreds of phosphate-loaded trucks stranded on both sides of the route.

Flash floods also temporarily closed the road leading to Saif-ul-Muluk Lake in Kaghan Valley. Machinery from the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and the National Highway Authority (NHA) worked to clear debris and restore traffic, while several tourist vehicles remained stranded.

In Haripur, overflowing waterways inundated low-lying areas. Local authorities shifted residents living near streams to safer locations as a precaution.

Officials have advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers and flood-prone areas, and follow official weather advisories while the current monsoon system continues to affect northern Pakistan.