ISLAMABAD, July 6: The federal government has directed the provinces to start round-the-clock patrolling on flood bunds and spurs throughout the country to prevent loss of life and property during the looming high monsoon floods.
A spokesman of the ministry of water and power said on Wednesday the related agencies should keep a round-the-clock vigil on critical areas through field formations of federal and provincial irrigation authorities.
The Wapda and Irsa authorities had also been asked to keep a close watch on flood situation and ensure releases from the reservoirs of Tarbela and Mangla in the perspective of effective river flood management, he said.
The spokesman said the ministry had finalized the arrangements to protect the lives and properties of the people during flood season as the major rivers were likely to experience high floods during monsoon season.
He said the ministry was closely monitoring the activities.
He said the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre in Lahore had become operational and flood control centres had been set up in the districts. “Police wireless control in Lahore is functioning on 24-hour basis to receive and pass on flood information and warning to the civil and other officers concerned.”
The people in the expected flood areas would be informed through district flood control centres in time for their safe dislocation, he said.
According to him, high ranking teams are conducting pre-flood inspection of flood bunds and protection works and special arrangements of watch and patrolling, lighting and stocking of flood fighting material at important bunds and spurs have been made to ensure their safety.
The provincial governments have been asked to ensure removal of encroachments from river banks before the arrival of flood season and completion of the on-going flood works.
Organized monitoring system by the provinces and federal line agencies has been ensured for the safety of bunds, particularly along the vulnerable and high risk river reaches in coordination with the army.
Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi has constituted a committee — headed by the secretary water and power with the representation of the provinces, Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas — with a mandate to prepare a comprehensive plan for flood protection on country-wide basis based on long term basis.
Beside the safety measures, the government is making all out efforts to provide relief to the people of the affected areas, the spokesman said and added: “Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has announced a relief package of Rs100 million for rehabilitation of flood-affected people of Nowshera. Mr Jatoi has distributed relief goods during his visit to the area. Emergency Relief Cell of the cabinet division has dispatched relief goods to the affected areas.”
More relief goods would be sent to the affected areas as per requirements, the spokesman added.
Agency adds: At least four persons, three of them from the same family, were killed and one was injured in flood-related mishaps in Shangla and Karak districts of the NWFP province.
According to latest report issued by the NWFP Flood Warning Centre in Peshawar on Wednesday, three persons died and one was injured due to landslide in Kat Kor village in the Chakisar area of Shangla district.
RIVERS’ POSITION: On Wednesday, water level in the rivers started receding.
At Terbela, water level in River Indus decreased to 166,000 cusecs from 240,900 cusecs of Tuesday. Similar is the case at Nowshera where the level is receding and was recorded at 136,500 cusecs.
Water level was recorded at 307,900 cusecs in River Swat at Attock where previously it was recorded at 399,900 cusecs. However, at Munda headworks, the river’s level is increasing and was recorded at 49,033 cusecs. A day back it was recorded at 46,455 cusecs. At Amandara, the river’s level has increased to 28,535 cusecs from 27,455 cusecs on Tuesday.
At Warsak, River Kabul’s level was 86,000 cusecs whereas it was at 86,150 cusecs at the same place on Tuesday.
Water level in River Shah Alam was recorded at 14,901 cusecs whereas at River Khayali, it was recorded at 50,800 cusecs.
At Kuraram Garhi, water level in Kurram river was at 9,721 cusecs and at Thall it was at 2,915 cusecs.
The flood situation in the commandment area of the Gudu and Sukkur barrages is ‘under control’, an official of the Sukkur Barrage said.
Talking to APP in Sukkur on Tuesday, he said a low flood discharge of 160,269 cusecs was recorded at upstream of Sukkur Barrage, and 102,779 cusecs at its downstream on Tuesday at 6pm and the discharge would steadily increase till July 9, when a peak flood would pass from the Sukkur Barrage.
Another official said, who is supervising the flood control arrangements, said that round-the-clock vigil was being maintained at all the sensitive protective barrages on the right bank of the Indus river in the jurisdiction of Sukkur Barrage.
According to him, 248,743 cusecs discharge was recorded at upstream of Gudu Barrage at the same time and 211,090 cusecs downstream.
He further said that it would take about another four days when the flood peak of 400,000 or 450,000 cusecs was likely to pass through the Gudu Barrage, and even then the position would remain quite intact.
He said, four embankments had been declared sensitive and the irrigation authorities were undertaking strengthening measures on round-the-clock basis. Those embankments were situated in Larkana, Hala, Sagiyoon and Dadu-Moro Bridge areas, he said.
ISLAMABAD, July 6: The federal government has directed the provinces to start round-the-clock patrolling on flood bunds and spurs throughout the country to prevent loss of life and property during the looming high monsoon floods.
