A family being rescued by a Pakistan Navy marine from an area of Sindh devastated by flood-water on Sunday. PHOTO: INP
High flood was also reported in River Kabul at Nowshera and the people living near the river started evacuating their homes from Saturday night. Flood warnings were also given for River Swat and River Kabul at Charsadda.
Meanwhile, rescue work continued in the flood-swept Chitral. According to sources, 45 assessment teams have been sent to the region to ascertain losses and damage caused by the floods.
Over 300 families in Karak were forced to leave their homes due to rain and flood rampage. Meanwhile, over 200 houses were affected in Khojri union council in Bannu.
In Gamshal Darra area of Upper Dir, a boulder rolled down from a mountain and hit the roof of a house, killing 20 animals. At least eight cattle also died in DI Khan.
Rain water also caused difficulties for inmates at DI Khan Central Prison after the jail barracks were inundated. Flash floods in DG Khan also damaged 150 houses and displaced nearly 2,000 families.
Talking to newsmen, the DG Khan’s DCO Nadeemur Rehman said 132,000 cusecs water was flowing through Wadore torrent after heavy rains that lasted six hours in Sulaiman Range.
The DCO said the Irrigation Department had evacuated villages in the areas in a timely manner and had breached several dykes to prevent flood water from entering the district.
He said that unrelenting rains had raised water flows at Chashma to 600,000 cusecs as 40 mm rain poured down on Sunday. According to the reading taken at 5pm on Sunday, the water flow at Chashma was reported at 612,870 cusecs while the water level decreased at Taunsa to 487,000 cusecs.
The DCO said life vests and boats had been dispatched to Notak, Behl, Majoka, Hassan Shah, Kalor Kot and Panjgaraien. “Five people were injured when the roof of a house collapsed in Kapahi and Haiderabad Thall,” he added.
Sindh CM visit Sukkur Barrage
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah visited Sukkur Barrage late Saturday. Speaking on the condition of protective bunds in Sindh, he said he expected they were strong enough to withstand one million cusecs of water.
“We have made all possible measures regarding rescue and relief at all the bunds and the authorities are monitoring the bunds round the clock to avert any untoward incident,” he said.
Pakistan Navy Rescue teams also continued flood relief operations and evacuated 655 residents from different villages of Khairpur, 135 from Ghotki, 355 from Pano Aqil and 815 from Ranipur and Gambat in the last 24 hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2015.
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