WEBDESK: The Jhelum River is facing an extreme drought, causing a major water shortage in Punjab. As a result, power generation at Mangla Dam has been completely stopped, worsening the energy crisis in the country.
Officials confirmed that the water level at Mangla Dam has reached the dead level, making it impossible to produce electricity. The dam, which normally generates 1,050 megawatts of power, has been dry since last week.
An Executive Engineer from the Jhelum Irrigation Department stated that the ongoing drought and lack of monsoon rains have caused a severe water shortage. “Since there is not enough water, we have stopped releasing it as per IRSA’s guidelines,” he said.
The Jhelum River depends on 70per cent rainfall and 30per cent glacier melt. However, with no rainfall in recent weeks, the river has dried up, turning into a barren land. Farmers and residents are worried about the impact on agriculture and daily life.
Experts warn that if the drought continues and there is no significant rainfall soon, the situation could become even worse in the coming weeks.
On the other hand the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reports that continental air is dominant over most regions of Pakistan. As a result, dry weather will persist across much of the country, with hot conditions in the plains during the daytime on Monday and Tuesday. However, isolated rain showers are expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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