Zamir Sheikh & RAMAZAN CHANDIO
KOTRI/SUKKUR – Panic has gripped Qasimabad, Hussainabad, Sehresh Naga, Latifabad, Unit- No- 4, 5, 9, 10 and 11 after the Met Office forecast that a huge tide in the Arabian Sea will block the outflow of River Indus water, which would then flow back to these populated areas.
Meanwhile, after wreaking havoc and devastation and displacing millions of people in Jacobabad, Kashmore, Shikarpur and other districts, the floodwater reached Shahdadkot City, where about 80 per cent people have already left the City in search for safe areas.
The district administration of Shahdadkot had issued warning for the people to leave the City and surrounding villages as raging floods headed towards the historical city from three sides.
Yaseen Shar, DCO Shahdadkotm said that floodwater entered the limits of the Shahdadkot, touching the City bypass.
The district government plugged an embankment with sands to protect the City from floodwater, but it reached the embankment and the road heading towards City of 0.5 million population.
The DCO said that the government was trying its best to provide transport to the people to shift them to safer places, besides more bulldozers and other heavy machinery have been brought for pitching and protecting the City from floods.
The flood pressure has been on the rise at Kotri Barrage on Friday after the river water receded at Guddu and Sukkur Barrages. Indus flow has reached 6,58,000 cusecs at Kotri. Large number of residents of different units of Latifabad and Qasimabad shifted their valuables and household items to their relatives so that in case of emergency they could be saved.
According to Meteorological Department, an unprecedented flow of 700,000 to 900,000 cusecs will pass through Kotri Barrage within next two to three days. High tidal waves in the sea could aggravate the flood situation at downstream in Thatta.
A high current passing through Thatta submerged three villages and crops. Also, the floodwater set off augmenting the pressure on sensitive places at Sorjani Manarki and Sondahalaya dykes. In Hala, hometown of Federal Minister Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, local people plugged a breach near Hala and saved the town from flood.
Reports said a breach occurred at protective embankment near Mithoo Machhi village between Hala town and Hala Old and the river water was rushing towards Hala town. The devotees of Sarwari Jamaat and other local people with four-hour hectic efforts plugged the breach and saved the town.
Meanwhile, the flood high tide emanating from Garhi Khero, after affecting 500 villages of Sajawal, Junejo and Shahdadkot, is heading towards FP Protective Embankment through Katchi Bridge. The cities including Shahdadkot, Qabu Saeed Khan, Mero Khan and Sajawal have been evacuated, as the surging floodwater has been diverted to Qabu Saeed Khan by effecting gaps on at least ten places in roads of Sajawal, Junejo, Garhi Khero and Shahdadkot. This has put these cities at a lesser risk of inundation. However, people in large number, started evacuation in view of approaching deluge, which has already roared to Katchi Bridge, ruining more 300 villages and ready crops.
Authorities have directed the residents of District Shahdadkot to move to safe areas, as floodwater hit the cityÂ’s major preventive embankment.
It is being feared that the water could swallow the entire district after bursting the dike. The water continued to seep through fissures on some points in protective embankments of Daulatpur Qazi Ahmed, Bachalpur, Mekarodhoro and Mud Mangli bunds on River Indus near Nawabshah.
As the water flow at Kotri Barrage crossed the level of 0.7 million cusecs, emergency was declared on Friday to control the situation.
According a private television channel, Army and Rangers were deployed at the barrage while the public was asked to remain at distance.
People started evacuation in view of approaching deluge, which has already roared to Katchi Bridge, ruining more than 300 villages and ready crops. A high current passing through Thatta submerged at least three villages and crops there. Also, the floodwater set off augmenting the pressure on sensitive places at Sorjani Manarki and Sondahalaya Bunds.
Meanwhile, the raging floodwater developed a four feet wide breach in Jamshoro protective embankment. However, the local administration plugged the breach after hectic efforts and saved villages from flooding.
Exceptionally high floods upto 9,50,000 cusecs may continue to pass through Sukkur Barrage during the next 48 Hours due to which flooding is expected in low lying areas of District Sukkur, Larkana, Nawabshah, Hyderabad and Nosheroferoze.
However, very high floods up to 7,00,000 cusecs are likely to pass through Kotri Barrage during the next 48 Hours and flooding is expected in low lying areas of District Hyderabad, Thatta and Badin.
In view of high level of filling of reservoirs, strict vigilance will be required in the remaining monsoon, the NDMA statement said adding, all concerned agencies have been requested by the Federal Flood Commission to furnish rough cost estimates for restoration of infrastructure damages caused by the current floods.
Ghulam Rasool Soomro, a citizen of Shahdadkot, told TheNation that majority of people had left the City amid fear of floods which now touches the bypass/Motorway, with Balochistan and Jacobabad. He complained that the public transport was thin, while remaining transporters are minting money from people who are already in trouble.
Despite claims, the provincial government has not provided transportation facility to the citizens to move to other cities amid flood fear, Abdul Wahid Brohi, another citizen, said.
Though, the district government issued warning of flood threat, but no such arrangement has been made to evacuate the people from Qubo Saeed Khan, which is a Tehsil of Qambar-Shahdadkot District, and hundreds of other villages.
However, a large number of people were still stranded in Garhi Khero City and Sujawal Junejo, and surrounding villages, where five to six feet flood water is standing.
Besides threat of inundation of Lakhi Ghulam Shah has not ended as breaches in canals have not been plugged.
People in Shikarpur are also in grip of fear due to uncertainty at government level regarding clearing city from flood threat.
Situation of flood affectees at relief camps was witnessed worse as majority of the affectees living in open sky without food, drinking water and medical facilities.
The waterborne diseases increased among the children living with their parents at relief camps, while Health Department of Sindh has confirmed that at least 30 people have died due to gastro and diarrhoea in Sindh.
Addressing a Press conference at Sukkur Barrage, Chief Secretary Sindh Fazul Rehman admitted the scarcity of the lady doctors in medical camps to provide medical treatment at camps set up for flood affectees. He said that doctors from medical universities of Sindh including Karachi and Hyderabad are to be sent at relief camps at Sukkur and other cities.
He said that the government will hire the services of local lady doctors
on contract basis.
He said that ORS in liquid form and 1,000 litres milk will be provided to 10,000 children at relief camps in Sukkur and surrounding area as dehydration is increasing in the children due to hunger and non-nutrition.
Agencies add: Floodwater hit ShahdadkotÂ’s major preventive embankment on Friday. It is being feared the water could swallow the entire district after bursting the dyke.
Meanwhile, the high flood tide emanating from Garhi Kheru, after leaving devastation trail in 500 villages of Sajawal, Junejo and Shahdadkot, is headed towards FP Protective Embankment through Katchi Bridge, reported private TV channels.
Shahdadkot, Qabu Saeed Khan, Mero Khan and Sajawal have been evacuated, as the surging floodwater has been diverted to Qabu Saeed Khan by effecting gaps on at least 10 places in roads of Sajawal, Junejo, Garhi Kheru and Shahdadkot. This has put these cities at a lesser risk of inundation.
However, people started evacuation in view of approaching deluge, which has already roared to Katchi Bridge, ruining more than 300 villages and ready crops.
A high current passing through Thatta submerged at least three villages and crops there. Also, the floodwater set off augmenting the pressure on sensitive places at Sorjani Manarki and Sondahalaya Bunds.