The inflow at Kotri was recorded at 702,338 cusecs and the meteorological department said the river is likely to attain “exceptionally high flood” level ranging between 750,000 and 875,000 cusecs over the next two to three days.
Under this scenario, it said, inundation of low-lying areas of Hyderabad district, Thatta and those along the riverbed is expected.
As peak flood began passing through the Kotri Barrage, all the relevant departments were put on red alert. The armed forces, Rangers, police, and irrigation department functionaries are guarding the protective embankments from the barrage to the downstream.
On Friday, an illegal embankment built in Goth Allah Dino Mallah near Jamshoro was broken as a result of which nearby villages and agricultural land came under water. Administrator of Hyderabad district Aftab Khatri imposed section 144 under which entry of people into embankments located in the district has been banned for a week. In view of the flood situation, the Sindh University has also been closed from August 23 to 25.
According to the control room of the Sindh irrigation department, there has been an increase of 235,000 cusecs of water at the Kotri Barrage over the past 24 hours while the water level at Guddu and Sukkur is gradually decreasing.
Chief Engineer at Kotri Barrage Manzoor Ahmad Shaikh told Express News that all work relating to protective embankments had been completed. He was confident that Hyderabad city would remain safe even if a flood torrent of 850,000 cusecs passes through the Kotri Barrage.
In Tando Mohammad Khan, the water level at Mullah Katiar Bund was recorded at 585,000 cusecs. As a result, 8,000 acres of land in the kachcha area, including 1,200 acres of agricultural land, came under water. The floodwater reached up to the stairs of Hussainabad Mehran Park, following which the park was closed for public. The park is located in the katcha area.
As five villages around the Mullah Katiar Bund were submerged, some 2,200 villagers were shifted to nearby Maqbaro Sharif area. At the bund, in addition to the armed forces and district administration, some 450 locals are also doing sentry duty.
In Matiari district, a flood wave of 880,000 cusecs is passing through the Bhanot and Matiari embankments. Locals are on patrol to keep an eye on the bund stretching an area of 35 km from Khando to Matiari.
In Hyderabad district, the registration of people uprooted by floods is going apace. According to the data provided by Nadra, 8,420 flood victims are lodged in Hyderabad district, of whom 6,818 belong to upper Sindh.
According to a dispatch from Sukkur, hundreds of stranded residents of Garhi Khairo town are still awaiting evacuation. The district administration says those remaining will be rescued by Friday morning.
Meanwhile, the National Highway connecting Sindh and Punjab has been flooded due to the breached Bhong protective embankment, causing traffic jams at several points. Water levels of Guddu Barrage and Sukkur Barrage are also constantly receding and according to the irrigation officials, the upstream at Guddu Barrage was recorded at 891,836 cusecs and downstream was 889,135 cusecs, while at Sukkur Barrage upstream was 982,273 cusecs and downstream was 945,958 cusecs. (With additional reporting by Sarfaraz Memon)
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2010.
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