More villages go under as water levels go up

Water level at Sukkur Barrage expected to rise to 1,400,000 cusecs. PHOTO : NAEEM AHMED GHOURI

As the pressure on barrages increases, so does the pressure on rescue workers, who are expediting the evacuation process and strengthening embankments across the province.

On Sunday evening, Sukkur Barrage, designed to endure 900,000 cusecs of water, was holding up to 1,125,000 cusecs and surviving. But further predictions say the level could reach as high as 1,400,000 cusecs.

Moreover, flooding at Kotri Barrage affected dozens of villages in Nawabshah district, gushing over hundreds of acres of farmland and entering Arz Leghari, Leghari Bachani, Umar Sethar and other nearby villages.

Thirteen villages in Naudero, including Atta Muhammad Bhatti, Mithoo Khakhrani, Nazal Narejo, Allah Warrayo Khuhro, Dodo Shaikh and Master Narejo, were also flooded on Sunday.

Although pressure was building up at the Nusrat loop embankment near Shahani village in the district, irrigation officials at the site maintained that the 950,000 cusecs of water passing through the area pose no threat to the bund.

“The water level is still around 10 feet lower than the embankment,” said Ghulam Sarwar Khuhro, an official on duty.

“Since the width of the river here is quite wide, all villages located nearby are safe.” Moreover, army and Rangers personnel have been deployed along the bund, he said.

However, residents claimed that rescue teams, along with irrigation department officials, disappear once the sun has set.

As the flood races towards Kandhkot, Hyderabad was also gearing up to deal with the flow.

The DCO imposed Section 144 and issued orders to the people living near the river to evacuate.

Water was dangerously close to Mehran Park in Hussainabad, while levels continued to rise at Latifabad and Hussainabad bunds and work to strengthen weaker embankments in the district was under way.

Flood-related deaths

Two people in the kachcha area of Khairpur were killed when they were bitten by snakes.

The entire riverine area around Indus in Khairpur has been submerged as floods passed through the city.

Meanwhile, two people died and seven more injured when the roof of a house collapsed in Dadu due to heavy rains.

In Ghotki, a five-year-old girl was swept away when she fell into the flooding river. Floods have also resulted in an outbreak of diseases and so far, two children have died due to gastroenteritis in Ghotki.

With additional input from PPI

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2010.