MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The water level in the Jhelum River, which unexpectedly rose yesterday, has now gradually returned to normal levels.
According to the Irrigation Department and the local administration, the water level had increased by about four feet, after which the flow has now returned to normal, bringing a sigh of relief to the citizens living on the banks of the river.
Earlier, India had released more water than usual in the Jhelum River on Saturday, raising the threat of flooding in areas along the riverbank.
India released floodwaters into the Jhelum River from the Uri Dam along the Line of Control (LoC) without any prior notice, spreading panic and chaos among the people.
The river originates from the Pir Panjal Range in Indian occupied Kashmir and enters Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) at Chakothi.
Kashmir Digital’s correspondent from Muzaffarabad reported the rising water level in the River Jhelum by four feet and continues to rise.
Additionally, the Muzaffarabad district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued a medium-level flood warning in the Jhelum River, alerting citizens to stay away from it to avoid any untoward incident.
The development came after India, on April 23, suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance in response to the Pahalgam attack in IIOJK, escalating the water tension with Pakistan.
Pakistan, on the other hand, rejected India’s unilateral decision to halt the agreement, signed in 1960 to regulate water sharing between both countries from the Indus River and its tributaries.
