Ruknpur, Bhong villages being evacuated

After last year’s floods, dykes too weak to stop water, residents say.

RUKNPUR/BHONG:

Residents of several villages in Ruknpur have evacuated their homes and left for safe areas following rise of water levels in River Indus. These areas include Katchi Zaman, Katchi Khan Muhammad, Banuda Hut, Hajipur and Hamidpur.

Talking to The Express Tribune, several residents leaving these towns said they feared water could reach their homes if levels kept rising in the next few days. Residents including Malik Saeed Ahmed, Akhtar Hussain and Haji Qamaruddin Gola demanded that  the government build a dyke preventing Indus water from flowing towards Ruknpur and flooding their homes.

In Banuda Hut and Katchi Muhammad Khan, several tracts of land have been submerged due to erosion. According to the locals, Indus water was gradually advancing towards Munchan dyke. The locals said that after last year’s devastating floods most dykes in the area now lacked the strength to prevent water from flooding their towns and villages.

They said the destruction this year could be greater than last year in case of a flood. They said concerned officials should take notice of the situation and take appropriate action.

Residents of several villages in Bhong have also started vacating their homes for safer places in Sadiqabad. They said Gul Muhammad, Sher Muhammad and Pir Hussainabad villages were already flooded with water. Residents of Katcha Bot and Chak Chiragh Shah villages in Rajanpur have also evacuated their houses as water has reached safety dykes at Garhi Chak.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2011.