BAHAWALPUR: Since the flood water entered areas in South Punjab, the army along with helicopters and boats on Wednesday reached Panjnad Headworks where a threat is looming to residents of 35 villages situated on banks of rivers Chenab and Sutlej in the district.

Over 600,000 to 700,000 cusecs of floodwater is expected to pass through the headworks during the next two to three days.

According to a press release issued by the ISPR, about 300 troops along with 30 boats, life jackets and other rescue gadgets have been dispatched from the Bahawalpur Cantonment to Panjnad where they have reportedly begun the evacuation and rescue work.

Besides Panjnad Headworks, the army has been deployed at Uch Sharif, Chahran Sharif, Bhong and Acha Bangla of the Rahim Yar Khan district whose residents are also facing a serious flood threat.

According to reports, the troops began the rescue operation around the Panjnad Headworks, about 85kms from Bahawalpur, and evacuated around 2,500 people on Wednesday.

Bahawalpur Assistant Commissioner Imrana Ajmal, the focal person on flood, inspected the district flood control centre.

She said the high alert was issued and all precautionary measures had been completed with the deployment of around 400 troops equipped with 30 boats at Panjnad.

She said the services of 28 divers had also been acquired. Of them, 10 divers had the expertise in diving into the deep flood water, she said.

Ms Imrana said that over 10,000 affected people could be provided shelter and accommodation in eight relief camps set up in areas around 35 villages and that their capacity could also be increased in case of any emergency.

She said the district administration had also made arrangements for 4,000 tents to be provided to the affected people if the need arose.

About security arrangements at relief camps, she said that police teams had been deployed at every relief camp along with doctors and vets who had intensified vaccination campaigns.

The Bahawalpur DCO has already imposed section 144 in the district and banned the movement of people around the floodwater areas and also cancelled leaves of government officials.

The ISPR said that Garrison Commander Maj-Gen Sadiq Ali presided over a high-level meeting in Rahim Yar Khan and reviewed the flood situation in the district.

The Garrison Commander also had an aerial view of the flood situation in the area.

KILLED: A man was killed when the roof of his house collapsed in Mohallah Shah Ganj here on Wednesday.

Rescuers said that Hafiz Muhammad Liaquat was present in his newly-constructed room when it suddenly collapsed. As a result, Liaquat died on the spot.

Published in Dawn, September 11th , 2014