July 24, 2003	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 23, 1424

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SUKKUR, July 23: Hundreds of villagers, including women and children, who were stranded in the flash flood from upper Balochistan on Tuesday, were rescued on Wednesday. However, sources in Naseerabad said that seven more villages had been flooded, including Garhi Rehman, Moza Bangan, Moza Hattor, Moza Lakha, Balyani, Mir Wah and Mithiani.

The DCO, Jafferabad, Ilam din Bullo, claimed that since Naseerabad was situated on a slope; therefore, the water would be drained out within 10 hours, and the chances of damages were minimum.

He told this correspondent on the telephone that the stranded people were being lifted and shifted to safer places, and food supplies were being dropped in 10kg packets, which included Ghee and rice.

He said that two helicopters have been deployed to lift the stranded people in several villages, which were flooded. He said that the water pressure was reducing.

He hoped that the situation would normalize in four or five days.

The federal government has been requested for providing an appropriate grant to meet this natural calamity.

THUL: More than 500 residents of Thul are living under the open sky as their houses were destroyed by flood water after a breach developed in the Moosa Allah Yar Canal five days back.

Three to five feet deep water is still standing in houses and government buildings as the relief work has not been started.

Telephone connections in some areas were restored on Wednesday.

Area residents said the civil hospital, offices of the DDO and the DSP, civil court and more than 500 houses were inundated with water.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leader Ghulam Rasool Buriro dispelled the news that the DCO of Jacobabad had sent pumps to drain out stagnant water.

Talking to journalists here on Wednesday, he claimed that the DCO, DDO or the Nazim had not visited the affected area.

He said the villagers themselves had plugged the breach.

He said Baloch Colony, Siddiq Abad, Moosa Wah Colony and Hindu Colony were still under three-foot-deep water.

The JUI leader said at least 1,000 persons were infected with gastroenteritis and other diseases could also spread if the stagnant water was not drained out. He said the people should be compensated for their losses.