Flood ‘14: Death toll climbs to 346

Officials at Kotri Barrage expect much less floodwater than anticipated .

SUKKUR/ ISLAMABAD/ HYDERABAD: At least 20 more deaths were reported from Punjab during the last 24 hours, officials said on Saturday, adding that the overall death toll from the ongoing epic floods has risen to 346. The rain-induced flood, which ravaged central and southern Punjab, has entered Sindh where experts said the water level would be much less than what was anticipated.

According to the latest updates from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the total number of people who have died since September 4 due to torrential rains and flooding in Punjab soared to 269 from 249 while the countrywide fatality count neared 350.

Similarly, the NDMA said that a population of 1,735,893 has been affected by flooding and rains which also damaged 40,911 houses, swamped 3,080 villages, and affected crops on 2.34 million acres of farmlands.

An estimated 617,744 people have been evacuated by different government agencies from the areas devastated by raging floods, the authority said, adding that 18 military helicopters and 292 army boats and 282 boats of district administrations were taking part in the rescue and relief operation.

Floods enter Sindh

Until a week ago, irrigation officials at the Kotri Barrage expected that a medium flood of between 450,000 to 500,000 cusecs will arrive at the barrage by the last week of September. But now the executive engineer of Kotri Barrage, Sajid Bhutto, says the torrent will peak at around 200,000 cusecs within a few days.

“The earlier estimate was based on the reckoning that over 700,000 cusecs of floodwater will enter Sindh through Guddu Barrage,” he explained. “But now water level has stabilised at 340,000 cusecs at Guddu and this is going to be followed by a likely drop in the level.” On Saturday, the barrage received 69,958 cusecs of water in the upstream out of which 32,203 cusecs was released through 20 of its 44 gates in the downstream. The remaining was distributed among the four channels which spring from the barrage.

Meanwhile, the flood level has risen to 145,000 cusecs in the limits of Benazirabad district over 150 kilometres upstream. According to officials, the flood level does not pose any threat to the protective embankments, which had survived around 1 million cusecs of water during the 2010 super floods.

The flood level is still so low that even residents of the riverine belt have not evacuated. However, Hyderabad Division’s Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah has directed all the deputy commissioners to remain on their toes for a possible evacuation of people to relief camps if the water level increases.

After passing through Kotri Barrage, which is located between Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts, the flood will reach the Arabian Sea after crossing Thatta and Sujawal.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2014.