NAROWAL, Aug 14: Rain continued to play havoc in parts of Punjab on Wednesday, leaving many villages submerged and thousands of people displaced. In Narowal, more than 80 villages came under water as Dek water channel overflowed amid heavy rain in the area on Wednesday.

MPA Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora visited the flood affected areas during heavy rain on Wednesday. He visited a flood relief camp and a free medical camp in Narangwali village and assured people of Punjab government’s help.

Also, high level flood was reported once again in Dek with about 34,000-cusec water passing from the water channel having a capacity of 10,000-cusec. Hundreds of acres of agriculture land have come under water and crops have been destroyed here. Floodwater once again entered houses and government buildings in Qila Ahmedabad. Heavy rain also suspended life in Narowal city as all roads and streets were full of rainwater. Roof collapse incidents were reported in Talwandi and Kadhala villages in which a woman was killed.

In Sialkot, flood emergency was declared on Wednesday in view of high flood in the River Chenab. The district administration directed the authorities to shift people living on both sides of the river to safer places.

On Wednesday, 385,000-cusec water was passing from the River Chenab at Head Marala. Heavy rain in Sialkot and surrounding villages left at least 25 villages in the Bajwat area inundated. There were also reports that the gushing floodwater swept away cattle in some villages.

Earlier in the day, water overflowing from the Dek water channel near Chahoor village in the Pasrur tehsil left many villages inundated. Sialkot-Chawinda-Pasrur Road and Pasrur-Narowal Road were closed for traffic due to flooding. These areas were cut off from rest of the Sialkot district.

In the Pasrur tehsil, flood water left 27 villages submerged. Jabbokey, Chak Machchaana, Nawaadhey, Eispur, Seehowal, Jeesatiwala, Qila Ahmedabad, Sojowali, Kukka Pan, Poond, Baangey, Rasheedpur, Ghangor, Khewan Cheema, Saarh Fataah, Behlolpur, Chcheema, Peera, Baryar, Balloki, Main Harpal, Punj Grayeen Bajwa, Narang Wali, Dhung, Kheemowali, Baddo Cheema and Khewa Hundalaan were worst hit by the flood.

According to the senior officials of Sialkot irrigation department, 20 villages of Zafarwal and Qila Ahmedabad were inundated after Dek overflowed on Wednesday.

District Officer (Coordination) Malik Abid Hussain said 10,000-cusec water passed from Dek at Chahoor (Pasrur) and 4,000-cusec from Aik at Oora (Sialkot) on Wednesday. District Coordination Officer Iftikhar Ali Sahu supervised rescue activities in the flood affected areas.

In Gujranwala, the National Disaster Management Authority on Wednesday warned of high flood in the River Chenab at Head Marala, Head Qadirabad and Head Khanki and said that water flow at these heads could increase from 400,000 cusecs to 500,000 cusecs during the next 12 hours due to heavy rain in the catchments.

On the other hand, 21 breaches in dykes along Dek left dozens of villages under water. All canals and seasonal water channels in the division were overflowing on Wednesday.

In Gujranwala city, rainwater entered houses and government offices. Satellite Town Police Station was affected by the flood and the police had to shift the accused in lockups and record to other police stations.

Low-lying areas of city like Baghbanpura and Satellite Town were inundated and residents of these localities were marooned in their houses. GT Road and other city roads were also under water.

District Coordination Officer Tariq Javed Malik and Wasa Managing Director Khalid Bashir Butt visited flood affected areas.

In Multan, District Coordination Officer Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah directed all concerned departments to remain on high alert amid fears that 500,000-cusec water would pass from the River Chenab. After the release of water into the River Chenab by India, water level in the river was likely to swell to 500,000-cusec on Aug 15. In Kasur, water level in the River Sutlej rose considerably as India released water from its dams amid heavy rains.

More than 70,000-cusec water was passing from the River Sutlej here on Wednesday evening. India released more than 80,000-cusec water into the River Sutlej on Tuesday that reached here on Wednesday.

In Layyah, high flood and the rising water level in the River Indus forced many people living in the riverine area to move to safer places.

Nearly 550,000-cusec water is currently passing from the river and this level is rising gradually, says irrigation executive engineer Chaudhry Ijaz. According to the flood emergency control room, 613,446-cusec water was flowing downstream Chashma Barrage at 6pm on Wednesday that was categorised as high level flood.

People of riverine union councils of Warrah Seharan, Baseera, Sahuwala and Doratta in the Karor tehsil and Shadu Khan, Kotla Haji Shah, Lohanch Nashaib, Jhakhar, Bait Wasawa Shumali, Bakhri Ahmed Khan and Paharpur union councils in the Layyah tehsil were moving to safer places.

This reporter found during a visit to Warrah Seharan, Baseera, Kotla Haji Shah, Lohanch Nashaib, Jhakhar, Bait Wasawa and Bakhri Ahmed Khan union councils that there were no relief camps set up by the district administration for the flood affected people.