Floodwaters diverted to Dadu, Sehwan

Floodwaters were diverted to Sehwan and Dadu on Saturday, after authorities made three breaches near Shahdadkot.

Subsequently, to protect Dadu city, an artificial breach has been made near the Dadu bypass. The floods will now pass Khairpur Nathan Shah and Mehar, before flowing into Manchar Lake.

Dadu DCO Iqbal Memon has said that 600,000 people from the district’s total population of 1.5 million are likely to be affected by the floods.  Memon said that the water coming from Shahdadkot and Miro Khandrains might enter Ghar Drain in Dadu District. “As many as 400 villages are at the risk of being affected by the flood during the course of its diversion towards Manchar,” the DCO feared.  The evacuation operation has been started and would be completed in time, he added.

“Manchar lake will not reach its capacity before 10 to 12 days and in the meantime owing to the reducing water level in Indus, the river would begin to accept the water from the lake,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2010.