September 09, 2006	Saturday	Sha'aban 15, 1427

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MULTAN, Sept 8: A peak of 266,000 cusecs will pass through Multan on Saturday evening while spate in the river Chenab inundated nearly 93 villages in Multan and Muzaffargarh districts on Friday.

The flood affected standing crops over thousands of acres besides displacing a large population and damaging their houses.

Precautionary measures were ordered by the Flood Forecasting Division to avoid the loss of life and property.

Meanwhile, the health, livestock and civil defense personnel have been put on high alert to meet any emergency situation.

Irrigation chief engineer Iftikhar Bhutta told Dawn that the water inflow and discharge at Trimmu on Friday was recorded at 154,000 and 210,000 cusecs, respectively.

Some of the flooded areas in Multan are; Khanpur Qazian, Tahirpur, Mochipura, Ponta, Soman, Nawabpur, Band Bosan, Qasim Bela, Muhammadpur Ghota, Jalalpur Pirwala, Sher Shah, Thatha Seyyalan, Hammad Kot, Sher Kot, Dhondu, Gardezpur, Bhana, Jhanki and Bagrin.

According to Multan DCO Iftikhar Babar, all protective dykes of the Chenab in the district were safe.

He said six relief centres had been set up to cope with the flood situation. Food for the people and their livestock was being provided besides free of cost vaccination.

He said 50 per cent people from low-lying areas of the district had been evacuated and evacuation of the remaining people was continuing.

About 67 villages in Muzaffar-garh were submerged on Friday. Evacuation of the people and their livestock has been started.

Some of the villages affected in the district are; Sanki, Chak Chhajra, Banda Sargana, Dowana, Pir Ranjan Bakhsh, Dona Rahmowana, Basti Allah Ditta, Rahmowana Zeyadat, Aroorpur, Chak Nasheebi, Barseempur, Dera Fazal, Maqsoodpura, Khokhara Sajawal, Alipur, Muradabad, Basti Sheikhpur, Kanli, Meer Dad, Rana Wahan, Chawbotra Kamal, Chak 61/42, Chawbotra Aadha, Margatpur, Dera Haibat, Balkana, Umerpur, Kari Ali Mardan, Syedpur, Beli Shomali, Theri, Kotha, Samti, Khudai, Gunji, Lashkarpur, Massi, Pippli, Taraf, Fatto Fanka, Kodiwal, Gullowala, Sunmalot, Manjhan Sultan and Basti Jarh.

Muzaffargarh DCO Tariq Najeeb Najmi said the Chenab has eroded about 55 villages.

He said al least 25 medical centres had been set up to cope with the flood situation.