Breach in Manchar Lake widens to 3,700 ft

Breach in Manchar Lake embankment widens owing to erosion triggered under massive water pressure.

The breach in the protective embankment of Manchar Lake widened to over 3,700-feet owing to erosion triggered under massive water pressure on Thursday. The lake is receiving over 10,000 cusecs from the FP Bund.

Cuts developed in the safety dykes of Ural Head, Ural Til, Danstar Wah and Larkana-Sehwan are letting out water into River Indus, a private news channel reported.

Water is flowing into the lake from the MNV drain, while it is being discharged into River Indus from 11 points including Aral Wah Head, Danastar and Karampur. The Indus Highway from Aral Wah Head to Indus link canal is submerged under four to five feet of water.

As a result, the land route between Dadu, Bhan Saeedabad and Sehwan has been disconnected.

The rapid flow of water has caused the breach in Larkana-Sehwan’s protective embankment to spread over 950 feet with erosion fast in progress.

Meanwhile, work to strengthen defensive bunds of Sehwan and Bhan Saeedabad, is under way.

Also, the number of houses in Sehwan, which collapsed as a result of the floods, has mounted to 1,400.

Hundreds of people marooned in flooded villages could not be relocated as there are no relief camps in Bhan Saeedabad. However, the army and navy are busy with efforts to move them to safety.

Hundreds of people are stranded in the Channa, Bobak and Sehwan union councils due to six breaches in the lake.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2010.