Khairpur Nathan Shah braces for torrents

THATTA: Massive flood tides, surging from Shahdad Kot, are headed towards Khairpur Nathan Shah and another flood torrent through breaches of MNV Drain is raging fast towards Khanpur and the Indus Highway.

Residents of Kharipur Nathan Shah have been asked to evacuate in view of the threat.

The government has decided to make breaches in the Johi Canal. According to reports, floodwaters will reach Johi city before falling into the river.

According to reports, 70 per cent of the city’s population has relocated to safer places.

Raging flood torrents, unleashed from two breaches in the MS protective embankment, have entered Jati city of Thatta District after wreaking havoc in Sujawal on Thursday.

The embankment at Kotri Barrage, which is facing high level floods, had been breached at three points – Jati Ladio road, Chango Minor and Jach Jahan Khan – to divert the flood from Jati city.

According to the irrigation department control room the inflow at Kotri Barrage is 776,800 cusecs while the outflow is 765,800 cusecs. The water level has decreased by some 22,000 cusecs over the past 24 hours at the barrage, while levels are also decreasing in Sajawal city and Manrki embankment in Thatta.

However, a 12-foot breach in Panihari canal has resulted in water entering the city.

Flood waters have inundated more than 40 villages in Jati Tehsil and Cohar Jamali, and 78 villages in Qambar Shahdadkot and Dado, leaving many marooned and desperate for help.

Speaking to Express News, DCO Qambar Shahdadkot said that up till now flash floods have affected 550 villages and more than 200 thousand  acres of land in Dado and Qambar Shahdadkot.

Tarbela Dam has attained its Maximum Conservation Level of 1,550 feet, whereas Mangla Dam is at an elevation of 1,206 feet – 4.00 feet below its Maximum Conservation Level of 1,210 feet.

Meanwhile, water has entered Buddha Talpur after inundating Sujawal city.

The city of Buddha Talpur has already been evacuated following which the criminals groups have started breaking locks and stealing goods from shops. The police is absent in the city and the property of people has become unsafe and insecure.

The flood water that came from Sujawal has reversed its direction after passing through about three kilometres from Buddha Talpur, inundating dozens of poultry farms and dairy farms on the way. The water has started moving towards Dewan City. The management of the Dewan Sugar Mills and Dewan Motors have started building protective embankments to save the plants.

Agencies (With additional reporting by Junaid Khanzada)

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2010.