BBMB to release 40,000 cusecs water from Bhakra, Pong as IMD warns of record-breaking rains in Punjab

PTC News Desk: The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has decided to open floodgates of Bhakra and Pong dams on Saturday to release 40,000 cusecs of water in a controlled manner in Sutlej and Beas rivers amin rain alert in Punjab. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted record-breaking rains  over Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh due to the convergence of three powerful weather systems, prompting weather department to issue heightened warnings, including red alerts for extremely heavy rain exceeding 21 cm in a day, alongside thunderstorms, lightning, and possible hailstorms.

The extra discharge of water has been ordered in order to accomodate additional inflow of water in view of the rain alert  in the region, including catchment areas of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

A rare weather pattern is set to unfold this weekend as a fresh western disturbance arrives over northwest India on Saturday, pulling in moisture from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. This system will interact with a strengthening low-pressure area over the Northeast Arabian Sea and another depression forming near the Bay of Bengal, funnelling additional moisture into the region.

Experts call this a “very unusual” setup, as the clashing systems are likely to drive the western disturbance’s cyclonic activity into Punjab and Rajasthan by October 5. This could intensify rainfall, with risks of flash floods and landslides in hilly regions. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are predicted from Sunday through Wednesday, with the heaviest downpour expected on Monday, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and nearby areas.