LAHORE, 20 August 2008 (IRIN) - Fears that heavy rain could cause the River Sutlej to burst its banks and flood Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, have prompted hectic preparations to avert a potential calamity.

"We are expecting more rains in the north, that is in the NWFP [North West Frontier Province], Kashmir and Punjab. We already forecast the monsoon this year would be heavier than usual," Hazrat Mir, the chief meteorologist in Lahore, told IRIN.

It is feared that 169.9 cubic metres per second could be released into the River Sutlej in India, triggering floods in Pakistan, if the forecasts from Pakistan's Flood Warning Centre in Lahore prove accurate.

Twenty relief camps have been set up in Bahawalpur District to tackle any emergency. Stocks of food, medicines, life jackets and other equipment have been provided for staff at the camps so that immediate assistance can be offered, according to District Officer Ghazi Amanullah Khan.

Dawn newspaper has also reported flood relief preparations, including the provision of boats and other equipment to the camps.

The river flooded three villages in Kasur District on the border with India three days ago, but there have been no reports of any loss of life.

The Kasur District authorities reported on 20 August that the Sutlej was flowing at its peak level of 6.035m. According to The News newspaper, Kasur District Coordination Officer Abdul Jabbar Shaheen said a "high alert" had been announced and army personnel had been deployed to distribute food to flood-hit villages.

Villagers in parts of southern Punjab, including the districts of Vehari and Pakpattan, have been warned by the local authorities of the possible need for evacuation.

"We have heard reports of possible floods over the radio. Our main worry is that standing crops may be damaged, which would be a disaster for everyone here," Mohammad Fayaz, a farmer from Vehari, said.

He praised the "improved government arrangements" this year, adding: "Hopefully they can help us if the floods do come."

Early warning vital

The federal government has stressed the need for disaster management cells at the provincial level to ensure there are early warnings of floods. "This is a priority," Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani said last week when discussing the plight of people hit by flooding and hill torrents earlier this month in NWFP.

The NWFP provincial government is meanwhile continuing efforts to ensure relief supplies reach people affected by floods in Chitral Valley, in the extreme north of the province, and in other areas.

District mayor of Chitral Haji Ghulam Ali said: "Provincial and local governments share the suffering of flood-affected people and every possible step will be taken for their early rehabilitation."

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