Breaches in Punjab cause floods to lose intensity

SUKKUR: Breaches in the Punjab before the Taunsa Barrage are believed to have diverted some flooding that was heading south and now only 750,000 cusecs of water are expected to hit Sindh.

Initially, there were reports that 900,000 cusecs are expected to pass through Sukkur Barrage on August 7 or August 8, but officials have claimed that the water has lost some pressure. The authorities at the Sukkur Barrage are, however, insisting that more than 875,000 cusecs will pass through the barrage and hence the floods are likely to still cause damage.

On the other hand, sources said that the irrigation authorities in the Punjab had diverted water in the Taunsa-Panjnad canal and Muzaffargarh to minimise pressure on the Taunsa but both canals developed breaches and a lot of water was lost. This breach has created trouble for Kot Addu but reduced the intensity of floods coming towards Sindh.

According to the most recent figures, the water level at the Sukkur Barrage is rising continuously and is likely to reach 275,000 cusecs by Wednesday evening.

Residents refusing to relocate

Meanwhile, residents of Katcha Bunder in Sukkur are still refusing to move to the relief camps set up at schools.

MNA Nauman Islam Shaikh and MPA Dr Nasrullah Baloch visited the Katcha Bunder area on Tuesday and appealed to the people to move to safer places till the flood passes away. Two or three families promised to move to their relatives, living in Sukkur city, but they were the only ones.

Since the flash floods of 1976, there have been no floods in the River Indus and the biggest discharge recorded in 1992 was not more than 450,000 cusecs. Due to this, several residents of the Katcha Bunder areas have built permanent houses with modern facilities in this riverain area. Besides this, many iron merchants and cement dealers at Bunder road have also encroached inside the Bunder wall and have constructed huge go-downs, some of which have been rented out at very high rates.

Embankment near Ghotki collapses, feeder overflows

Seventy-five villages were submerged early Tuesday morning, reports our correspondent in Ghotki. An embankment that was built five years ago in the Minhar Chachar village near Ghotki had collapsed.

The water first hit Minhar Chachar, Khairi Chachar and Sobo Sheikh villages after which it made its way towards the Abdul Latif Chachar, Ismail Chachar, Qasim Chahchar, Noman Chachar, Jeevan Chachar, Makhno, Jam Abdul Hakim, Jam Ferozuddin and Sahab Dinno villages, among others. The Gulan Jabhan and Khaskheli villages in Naushero Feroz and the Manhal Kharos, Shahnawaz, Jagan, Wasan, Nazeer Ahmed and Rahnawaz Kharos villages in Pir Goth were also submerged.

As the water level rose near Kacho Bandi in Qadirpur Loop Bunder, the Rangers and army officials were deployed to handle the emergency.

However, officials were nowhere to be seen when water started overflowing from Qadirpur, Hussain Beli and Baqar Wah around the Ghotki feeder, after which villagers attempted to pitch in.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2010.