Chistian villages: ‘80,000-cusecs flood on Monday’

BAHAWALNAGAR: Water level in River Sutlej near Chishtian tehsil is likely to rise to 80,000 cusecs on Monday, Assistant Commissioner Arshad Mehmood Sidhu said on Saturday.

He was speaking to media during a visit to inspect dykes in the region. He said at present the level was around 45,000 cusecs. Sidhu said the administration was prepared to deal with any emergency. He said at least 40 villages on the banks of the river had been declared red zone. He said Revenue officials with help from villagers had already strengthened five big and eight small dykes in the region. He said there were reports that flood water had breached a dyke in Dulla Akuka village but it had only affected fields and residential areas were safe. “The dykes can withstand flood torrents of up to 100,000 cusecs,” he said.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2011.