Flood wreaks havoc in Bahawalpur villages

BAHAWALPUR:

The flood from River Sutlej is playing havoc in the district as water has submerged several more rural areas.

Sources in the Punjab Emergency Service and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that water had entered several villages and inundated thousands of acres of land.

The floodwater had inundated villages Gulab Ghalwan, Khairpur Daha, Dhor Kot, Goth Mitha, Chailay Wahan, Mamna, Kaliar and other settlements, they said.

Bahawalpur Rescue 1122 head Dr Baqir Hussain said teams with boats and equipment had reached the affected areas and a rescue operation was under way.

"People are being evacuated from villages where water has entered and shifted to safe areas," he said, adding that several relief camps had been established for affected people..

Sources in the district administration said the water level beneath Empress Bridge on Sutlej river in Bahawalpur had exceeded 12 feet as over 90,000 cusecs of water was flowing at the spot.