A sudden and unannounced surge in the water level of the River Jhelum has inundated dozens of villages in Tehsil Athara Hazari, submerging farmlands and raising alarm among residents and farmers.Floodwater has entered several areas, including Balo, Mari Shah, Munday Syed and Dhabi Balochan, causing extensive damage to agricultural land and standing crops.Large tracts of farmland were seen underwater as the river overflowed into adjoining settlements, the TV channel reported on Monday. 

Hundreds of acres of ready-to-harvest wheat, sugarcane and fodder crops have been severely affected, compounding the financial strain on farmers who were already grappling with the aftermath of last year’s floods. Many farmers expressed deep concern over the scale of losses and warned that the situation could worsen if immediate remedial steps were not taken. The affected farmers have urged the authorities to open the gates of Head Trimmu without delay to ensure proper discharge of water and prevent further devastation to crops and residential areas. 

They said that compensation for damages suffered during last year’s floods has yet to be disbursed, leaving many families in a precarious position. The development comes despite a recent advisory from the Flood Forecasting Division Lahore, which had issued a flash flood warning concerning the River Kabul but did not signal any unusual rise in the River Jhelum. In its warning issued on January 20, the division had cautioned that a strong westerly wave was expected to affect the upper parts of the country from the evening of January 21 to January 24, 2026.

It had forecast a rise in flows in the Kabul River and its tributaries during January 22 and 23, 2025, amid expectations of moderate to isolated heavy rainfall and snowfall in upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir. Authorities, including PDMA, DDMA, local administrations and emergency services, were advised to remain vigilant and ensure preparedness for any untoward situation, while residents of vulnerable and low-lying areas near streams and nullahs were urged to exercise caution during the forecast period.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)