Water woes: Pakistan's largest water reservoir at dead level for weeks

Tarbela Dam, Pakistan's largest water reservoir, is facing an acute water shortage and the dam continues to be at a dead level for the last couple of weeks.

Tarbela Dam, Pakistan's largest water reservoir, is facing an acute water shortage and the dam continues to be at a dead level for the last couple of weeks. The average water inflow in the Dam stands at 71,500 cusecs and the outflow is at 70,700 cusecs resulting in a huge water shortage. In addition to the Tarbela Dam, water inflow at Mangla Dam is also barely surviving the dead level.

The inflow at the Mangla Dam was at 25,509 cusecs against the outflows of 25,353 cusecs, reported Pakistan's local media outlet, Dawn. Meanwhile, the canal system in Punjab is facing up to 75 per cent water shortage. The Punjab province supplied 53,100 cusecs of water against its needs of 1,27,800 cusecs on Thursday.

According to the data shared by the Punjab Irrigation Department, the Taunsa Barrage supplied only 6,700 cusecs. It is 73 per cent less than its requirement of 25,000 cusecs. Moreover, the Thal Canal was facing 75 per cent scarcity as 2,000 cusecs of water were released into it against the need of 8,000 cusecs. The Panjnad Barrage was also running with a 66 per cent shortage, receiving 4,300 cusecs against the requirement of 12,700 cusecs. Rasul Barrage was suffering 59 per cent water stress with a supply of 9,900 cusecs against the need of 24,200 cusecs.

Both Sulemanki Barrage and Lower Bahawal Canal were facing 54 per cent shortage each, Sidhnai Barrage 51 per cent, Islam Barrage 50 per cent and Trimmu Barrage 43 per cent water scarcity. There was a 33 per cent water shortage in the Mailsi canal. Earlier in May, water released from the Taunsa barrage in Pakistan's Punjab province for Sindh reportedly failed to reach its destination in Sindh in an interesting development hinting at the country's water struggle.

The Sindh province had claimed that water from Punjab was somehow missing in Sindh, following which a team made measurements at Sindh's Guddu barrage and found the claim to be correct. Acute water shortage, along with a searing heatwave, has sparked tensions between Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan over their share of the nation's water resources. (ANI)

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