THATTA, Aug 15: Brigadier Kausar Hussain Shah of the Pakistan Army has said that all possible measures have been taken to rescue civilians during any flood emergency. He was addressing officials of revenue, police, irrigation, drainage, health and other departments in the office of Shah Bunder taluka nazim after visiting Surjani, MS bund, Koka link and Koka retarding bund and Moolchand-Munarki bund.

Brigadier Shah said that he had made four groups of army officials already serving on the task in Thatta district.

These groups has been assigned to help irrigation staff in case of breaches in riverine network, to shift patients and injured to nearby hospitals during flood.

He said that a group would promptly provide food and shelter to affected people during the crucial time.

The brigadier warned officials to ensure their presence round-the-clock on entrusted sites to be equipped with wireless system, medicine, generators, torches, food stuff and other routine abkalani requirements.

He directed them to keep ready boats, vessels and sixty vehicles to carry out evacuation operation.

The district administration briefing the brigadier said that 40 dehs, 92 villages, 1,460 houses and 15,695 people in Jati taluka and Shah Bunder would be affected if flood water gushed into the area.

He was told that 37 relief camps had been set up in three talukas to help the affected people.

An emergency plan was ready to install 300 relief camps in various school buildings if required.

He was told that an emergency had been declared in all managerial and development departments of district and taluka relief centres have been set-up under the taluka nazims in all the nine talukas of the district.

He was told that Rs40 million had been invested to strengthen sensitive site of Munarki bund with its apron rehabilitation and stone pitching.

He was told that last year, 274,000 cusecs of water smoothly passed from the Sujawal bridge in River Indus but this time, 450,000 cusecs were expected to stream from the point.