Raini canal develops 9 breaches

The Raini Canal has developed nine breaches, inundating several settlements in the Sadiqabad district. The water has reached very close to Kot Sabzal, a town on Punjab-Sindh border, and is expected to flood the KLP Road ( Main road link between Punjab and Sindh) within another 24 hours.

A protest was staged by the residents of Kot Sabzal and adjoining areas late Wednesday night. The protesters alleged that several armed men from Ghotki area of Sindh fired rockets causing the breaches in the canal. These breaches range from 50 to 150 feet in width, according to the protesters.

They complained that the government was not taking notice of the issue. The protesters were later dispersed by the police.

While addressing the press on Thursday, Makhdoon Syed Ahmed, the PML-F provincial president, called upon the prime minister and the Punjab chief minister to take notice of the canal breach issue.

Flood Forecast Commission on Thursday stated that a fresh flood of 900,000 to 1,000,000 cusecs in River Indus and River Chenab was expected on the eve of August 14.

The flood wave, coming from Taunsa and Trimu, would reach Guddu barrage in another three days, the commission said. It can cause severe damage in the low-lying areas of upper Sindh. The commission said that the a water flow of 690,000 cusecs in the Indus near Kalabagh and of 700,000 cusecs near Chashma could affect Mianwali, Bhakkar and Layyah in Punjab and Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Four flood victims, including an eight-year-old child and his parents, died on Thursday after drowning in the Indus in Bangla Ichanbi Shah area of Rahim Yar Khan. The child drowned while playing near the flood water and the parents and another woman later drowned attempting to save him. All four of them belonged to Bangiani Mazari tribe. In a separate incident, four people died after drowning in the River Indus at Basti Chak Paro Shah.

Flood moving towards Muzaffargarh City:

The flood in River Indus is now heading towards the city after devastating the surrounding areas including Nur Pur Kabra and Basti Mubarak Pur. The flood water is nine kilometres away from the Muzaffargarh City.  After passing through Ada Baseer and Nur Pur Kabra, water stream has split in two parts. A flood wave will enter the city through the Jalalabad area, possibly disrupting the city’s road link with adjoining Ali Pur area. The other flood wave will pass through Basti Shah Garh, Shah Jamal and Jatoi. In the Daira Deenpana area, the flood water is passing close to the Ada Pathan Hotel on the Layyah Road and heading towards Head Momind.

The concerned authorities  have issued fresh warnings in Daira Deenpana, Kot Addu, Sanawaan and Mehmood Kot areas. They have asked the people to evacuate the area at the earliest.

Most of the bridges and roads in these areas have been destroyed. Residents, with the fear of evacuation looming over their heads, are unable to pay their utility bills and withdraw cash as all banks, government and semi-government offices have closed operations. The water level at the Taunsa Barrage in Rojhan area was recorded at 760,000 cusecs.

Several villages around the Kadir Canal were inundated after a barrier on the canal broke on Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2010.