LAHORE: Pakistan said on Tuesday its Punjab province, including the second largest city of Lahore, faced a “very high to exceptionally high” danger of flooding due to a combination of heavy rains and India’s decision to release waters from two dams.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have been ravaged by intense monsoon rains and flooding in recent weeks. The release of excess water from India’s dams threatens to further flood parts of Punjab province, which serves as the country’s breadbasket and is home to half of its 240 million people.
The nuclear-armed nations have been in a tense stand-off since a brief conflict in May, their worst fighting in decades, and any flooding blamed on India could inflame ties.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority said late on Tuesday that India had opened all the gates of its Thein Dam on the Ravi River. India’s water resources ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The announcement came a day after Pakistan received a second warning from India that it intended to release water from the rapidly filling Madhopur Dam. Both dams are located on the Ravi River, which flows from Indian Punjab into Pakistan.
“The flood situation is grave,” said Irfan Ali Kathia, an official at the authority in Punjab. “The next 48 hours will be critical.” Earlier, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said its assessment of satellite pictures of Thein Dam showed that it was 97% full and could release water at any time.
India routinely releases water from its dams when they get too full, with the excess flowing into Pakistan, as the two nations share rivers. Punjab province was split between the two countries when they gained independence in 1947.
Earlier in the day, an Indian government source said they had not mentioned a specific dam but that the intense rain had led them to share the second warning in two days with Pakistan, through diplomatic channels. Asked if more warnings could be issued, the source said it was possible.
Another Indian source said New Delhi was sharing the information with Islamabad on “humanitarian grounds” to help avert catastrophe as the rains have caused havoc in India too.
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