Ruining the ruins

LARKANA: Torrential rainfall did part of what the flood was expected to do as eight hours of constant rain washed across the ruins of Moenjo Daro, inundating already decrepit walls.

At least 110 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in Larkana on Wednesday and Thursday, with more predicted to descend in the district on Friday. To make matters worse, the flood is expected to reach Larkana on August 7, with a minimum flow of 700,000 cusecs. The 5,000-year-old ruins of Moenjo Daro are at a distance of around one kilometre from River Indus and have been declared by the site’s curator, Arshad Ridd, to be in danger from the flood. Ridd has already written to the DG archaeology, asking him to take preventive measures before the ruins are washed away.

Already, 150 of the 360 standing walls among the ruins have been declared endangered with some of these walls held upright with supports. After the rain, water has collected around the walls, further damaging their foundation.

Water has also collected in the swimming pool, Stupa and the lower parts of the ruins, spread across more than 300 acres. Site officials feared that seepage and further rainfall might make things worse.

The officials were able to drain out some of the rainwater from the site with the help of machinery, however, much still remains.

The rainfall also damaged hundreds of acres of standing rice crops in the district.

Cadet college, airport at risk

Along with the ruins of Moen jo Daro, the nearby Larkana Cadet College and Moenjo Daro airport are also vulnerable to the impending flood.

According to the Larkana DCO Syed Hasan Naqvi, the district administration has warned the college management to call off academics and send students home.

As a result, the principal of the college, Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf, decided to announce holidays from August 6. Students from across the province have been told to go back to their homes. Holidays are expected to last for 10 to 15 days.

Meanwhile, army and Rangers personnel have arrived in Larkana, where 107 villages have been declared vulnerable. More than 7,000 families have been sent off to safe areas by the district administration with the help of the army and Rangers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2010.