ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is facing a severe deficit of 45 per cent in thewater stored in both the Tarbela and Mangla dams as the said reservoirscurrently have 6.3 million acres feet (MAF) in them as against 11.7MAFwater deposited in the same period last year.
Water level in Tarbela and Mangla dams has reached at the critical level,Water Ministry officials have said “We are expecting another monsoonstarting from coming Sunday which may help improve the water situation inthe country and but again it depends upon the intensity of the next spell.”
Last year monsoon ended by August 15 and if the current situation continuesto hover, they said, then Punjab and Sindh will have to face 50-60 per centwater shortage during the Rabi season as the available water in the damswill be consumed for maturity of Khraif crops.
Under the scenario when the country has appalling water situation, waterlosses have surged up to 10.4MAF against the estimated loss of 08MAF. Theofficials disclosed that provinces–Punjab and Sindh– have reported thewater loss of 10.4MAF which is more than the live storage capacity ofDiamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.
In Pakistan Rivers, normal flows in these days usually stand at 70.3 MAF,but this time by July 31, flows in rivers stood at 52.7MAF showing themassive dip in flows by 25 per cent. The official said the ever minimumflows in rivers are registered at 50.5 MAF which is close to the 52.7 MAFflows recorded on July 31, 2018.