Canal breach submerges 50k acres in RY Khan

RAHIM YAR KHAN:

A 150-foot-wide breach in the Abbasia Canal near Wahi Jaman Shah, Kot Samaba, has flooded over 50,000 acres of farmland and displacing residents from dozens of settlements in Rahim Yar Khan.

The breach occurred in the Abbasia Canal, part of the massive Sadiq Feeder Canal system originating from Head Panjnad, one of the world's largest canal networks.

The resulting floodwaters inundated entire villages, sweeping through homes, mosques, schools, roads, and fields.

The inter-provincial Shahi Road has also been submerged, severing vital road links between Rahim Yar Khan and Khanpur.

Residents in affected areas — including Wahi Jaman Shah, Basti Malik Shafi, Basti Balochan, Basti Tanori, Basti Dari Mochi, Basti Kacha Kho, and Basti Muhammad Nagar — have been forced to evacuate their homes.

Several mud houses collapsed under the weight of the floodwaters, and announcements have been made from mosques urging residents to relocate to safer areas.

Emergency teams, including Rescue 1122, the District Disaster Management Authority, and police, have been actively engaged in rescue operations.

Volunteers were seen helping evacuate elderly citizens from submerged settlements.

Despite more than 24 hours of continuous efforts, the breach remains unsealed due to the force of the water.

The Irrigation Department has shut down the Sadiq Feeder Canal at Head Panjnad to ease pressure and deployed heavy machinery to plug the breach. However, officials cite a lack of routine maintenance as a root cause of the canal failure.

"The canal banks are weakened every year due to negligence. Instead of maintenance, irrigation staff are often deployed on personal errands for senior officers," said a local farmer.

According to official data, Rahim Yar Khan sees an average of 26 canal breaches annually. The current breach has submerged not only fields but also schools, shops, and paved roads, prompting large-scale migration from flood-hit areas.

"On the chief minister's instructions, a complete assessment of losses to crops and property is underway, and compensation will be provided to the victims," he said.

The district administration has also begun damage assessment to determine the extent of crop destruction and infrastructure loss.

Chairman of Kisan Bachao Tehreek, Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen, said incidents of canal breaches across the district are increasing during the monsoon season.

"The main reason is the lack of maintenance along the canal banks. Deep potholes that form on the canal banks due to rains are not filled, and livestock are also grazed along these banks," he explained.

"No tree plantation is being carried out along the canals either."