September 04, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 10, 1427

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SIALKOT, Sept 3: Several villages were inundated owing to overflow of the river Chenab and other seasonal drains in parts of Punjab on Sunday.

Eight villages in Bajwat were under water owing to high flood in river Tavi near Salehpur village.

The floodwater also deluged hundreds of acres of agriculture land in border villages of Bajwat, which are already cut off from Sialkot. The water level in river Tavi is continuously soaring up after the fresh spell of heavy rains.

Thousands of people remained stranded along the banks of the river Tavi as private and official boatmen could not start the boat service on account of high flood.

Sialkot DCO Maj Rizwanullah Baig (retired) told reporters that district administration was evacuating the people to safer places.

In Pasrur tehsil, 12 villages and seasonal crops on hundreds of acres were inundated as water splashed over the banks of Nullah Dek near Hunjali-Chahoor village. The flooded Nullah Aik in Daska tehsil also inundated nine villages and standing crops on hundreds of acres of land. Several cattle were injured when a cattle shed collapsed near Bhopalwala.

The DCO said the high flood in Nullah Dek had damaged the protective bund near Chahoor-Hunjali villages, submerging several villages and seasonal crops in Pasrur tehsil.

Over 400 villagers and officials were busy repairing the damaged bund as the peak of floodwater was expected to reach Nullah Dek during next 12 hours.

M.R Link Pasrur XEN Syed Khadim Hussain Shah said the irrigation department had opened three inlets in Marala Ravi Link Canal near Malikpur (Pasrur), Baddo Malhi (Narowal) and Kotli Loharaan (Sialkot) to manage the rain and floodwater. This step has helped reduce considerably the water level in M.R Link Canal.

He said flash flood had also damaged several link roads in Pasrur tehsil as traffic remained suspended on many routes.

DCO Rizwanullah and other officials visited the flood-hit areas in Bajwat and Pasrur tehsil and assured the affected villagers that the government would compensate them.

The DCO told reporters that departments concerned were assessing the actual loss of life, cattle and property in flood-hit villages.

The affected people have urged the Punjab government to declare their areas as calamity-hit besides announcing a special compensation package for them.

Officials of the district government said that all the departments concerned had already been put on high alert to avert the possible flood disaster in Sialkot and Narowal districts.

Irrigation officials at the Head Marala said the water level in rivers Chenab, Tavi, Tavi Munawar and all seasonal Nullahs including, Aik, Dek, Palkhu, Bhed, Baeen and Bassanter, was rising after heavy rains in Sialkot and Narowal districts and all catchment areas.

The river Chenab is in medium flood at Head Marala with a water flow of 225,000 cusecs, decreasing from overnight’s 310,000 cusecs.

The DCO said that Nullah Dek near Qila Kalarwala and Chhoor-Pasrur and Nullah Aik near Oora were overflowing. However, he said the situation was under control.

Scores of cattle shed have been collapsed in the flood-hit areas of Bajwat, Pasrur and Bhopalwala.

An old house of labourer Aslam collapsed due to heavy rain in Mohallah Dhaarowal locality in Sialkot. No casualty or injury was reported as the house was empty at the time of the incident.

The local MET office forecast more heavy rains in Sialkot and Narowal districts and all catchment areas during the next 24 hours.

Two brothers, Mehmood and Nazir, were drowned on Saturday evening in Nullah Dek near Qila Kalarwala in Pasrur tehsil. Their bodies still could not be recovered.

While two farmers, Bashir Ahmad in Suhaaney village, Bajwat, and, Ashfaq Ahmad, in Tharo village in Pasrur died of snakebite.

Meanwhile, heavy rain continued the fifth day on Sunday in Sialkot and Narowal districts and all catchment areas. The Sialkot received 88mm rain.

All low-lying areas were inundated in Sialkot, Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Head Marala, Uggoki, Bajwat, Pasrur, Satrah, Sirraanwali, Chawinda, Badiana, Shakargarh, Zafarwal, Noor Kot, Baddo Malhi and Narowal.

The Sialkot district jail, railway station, district courts and Police Lines were inundated with the rain and sewerage water.

While all the main and link roads, including Kutchery Road, Paris Road, Railway Road, streets and bazaars, were flooded with knee-deep water, paralysing all civic and business activities.

The Sialkot Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) failed to evacuate 37 residential and commercial buildings that were declared dangerous some two months ago. Sources said that these buildings could be collapsed at any time. Owners were already issued final notices for the evacuation of buildings. Four minor factory workers were killed when a dilapidated building of a house in Cantonment area had collapsed about a month back.

GUJRANWALA: Several villages of Alipur Chattha were flooded and paddy and fodder crops washed away owing to overflow of Khankey head. The villagers have shifted their cattle and households to safer places.

According to reports reaching here on Sunday, the water level soared in the river Chenab, Nullah Pulkho and other heads. The villages of Alipur Chattha and adjoining areas were under water as a result of which many mud-houses collapsed. However, no loss of life was reported.