Round two: Flood warning issued as water levels rise

13 of 23 small dams have been declared sensitive.

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

A flood warning has been issued in Dera Ghazi Khan with flow expected to rise to 550,000 cusecs in River Indus on Tuesday (today).

Additional District Collector Mehboob Ahmad told newsmen on behalf of the DCO that a medium level flood was expected in River Indus over the next three days.

He said 19 villages would be affected by the flood.

He said evacuation notice had been issued and villagers were being moved to safety.

He said 13 of small 23 dams in the area had been declared sensitive. He said two of these were extremely sensitive. Workers of the Irrigation Department were repairing the dams, he added.

He said 700 flour bags, 1,200 bags of dry food and 900 bags for cattle fodder had been supplied at relief camps near flooded areas. Ahmed said 9,000 water bottles had also been distributed among the villagers.

He said 812 camps had been set up for those affected by the flood. He said 224 cauldrons of food had been distributed among people at relief camps.

Ahmed said three villages near Taunsa Sharif (Basti Naseer, Basti Kalachi and Morjhangi) nine villages of Dera Ghazi Khan tehsil (Khar, Chandia, Asghar Abbas, Sikhani, Pathan Ali, Khaward, Maitla, Korai and Basti Moga), seven villages of Kot Chutta tehsil (Bait Chainwala, Bait Baitwala, Basti Chajju, Basti Zandaan, Bhindi Salman, Jhakkar Imam Shah and Basti Shero) were likely to be affected.

He said residents of these areas had been advised to move to safe places or to relief camps set up by the government with their cattle and belongings. “They will be given all possible facilities,” he said.

The ADC said flow of water was 450,000 cusecs at Taunsa on Monday.

He said the flood had affected 68,850 acres, out of which 27,028 acres was farmland. He said 12,800 people had been moved to safe places and 850 persons had been housed at the relief camps.

He said no loss of cattle was reported.

In Sargodha, the district police issued a plan to deal with the imminent flood in Jhelum and Chenab rivers.

A police spokesman said areas along Jhelum and Chenab Rivers had been divided into five sectors; Sahiwal, Bhalwal, Shahpur, Sillanwali and Kotmomin.

On the directive of DPO Sajjad Hussain Manjh, the district police set up 19 relief camps and 137 police officials were deputed to cope with the flood.

The DPO directed the SHOs to remain on high alert.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2015.