HYDERABAD: Most districts across the interior of Sindh faced massive flooding in their towns, besides populated rural areas and farmlands on Wednesday as the provincial government, water and power utilities and the relevant rescue and relief agencies failed to cope with the situation arising out of torrential rains.

Thousands of people had to move to safe places after their localities remained flooded due to collapse of the drainage system. Flooding also led to the suspension of supplies to towns and villages while nearly all main fruit and vegetable markets stayed closed.

Parts of Hyderabad, Latifabad and Qasimabad remained submerged under one to five feet deep water on Wednesday evening, 24 hours after several spells of heavy rain hit the district on Monday and Tuesday.

Workers of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) and its Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) seemed helpless as water accumulated in the low-lying areas could not be drained out because stormwater drains were already overflowing.

Mehar Ali, Junejo Colony, Alam Town, Mallah Goth, Latifabad units 2, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12, Frontier Colony, Tando Mohammad Khan Road, Pinjra Pol, Pakistan Chowk, Phool Mandi, Islam Abad, Tando Agha, Tando Tayyab, Anwar Villas, Sehrish Nagar, Naseem Nagar Phase I and II and Wahdat Colony were the most affected areas where rainwater entered houses and shops.Wasa’s pumping machines remained non-functional due to absence of electricity in most flooding-hit areas while generators installed at sewerage pumping station were found out of order.

Up to five-foot-deep water had accumulated in Alam Town, Junejo Colony, Mallah Goth and Maher Ali areas forcing a large number of families to move out and take shelter at some other places. Volunteers belonging to various non-governmental organisations helped the families in the process. The families were provided accommodation at some schools and camps. Water, food and medicines as well as health facilities have been made available at the camps.

A similar situation prevailed in parts of Tando Mohammad Khan and Matiari districts and Tando Allahyar town.

Intermittent light showers were reported from different areas of Hyderabad division on Wednesday.

Warning to vacate 250 villages

DADU: The deputy commissioner of Dadu has issued warning to the residents of 250 villages of Katcha area to shift their families to safer places.

He declared three vulnerable and emergency points along with the Larkana-Sehwan bund and directed irrigation officials to provide all kind of flood fighting material there.

DC Zubir Ahmed Channa rushed to J-Spur at the Dadu-Moro bridge and looked after the work there. He also monitored the three vulnerable points of LS bund.

Talking to journalists at the LS bund at the village of Syal near Dadu town, he said it was medium flood in Dadu district and 500,000 cusec water was crossing the Dadu-Moro bridge on Wednesday.

He said water had reached the LS bund and water level was increasing.

On emergency basis, a warning had been issued to 250 villages and all kind of boats arranged to shift people to safer places. He said that on Wednesday Indus river water had entered more than 50 villages in Dadu district.

He said there were three sensitive points where water would develop pressure. Flood fighting material was arranged along with the LS bund to face any untoward incident including breach or leakage in the bund. Although the bund was safe in its current position, he added.

The DC said J-Spur was constructed to protect the Dadu-Moro bridge and to reduce pressure of water.

The health and live stock departments established a medical camp to vaccinate animals, at the LS bund near Dadu town.

PFF call to remove encroachments

THATTA: Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum (PFF) chairman Syed Muhammad Ali Shah has called upon the authorities to remove obstructions and encroachments — including Zamindari bunds (private embankments erected by the Abadgars), pakka structures and illegal outlets en-routes to river Indus — to facilitate smooth passage of floodwater.

Talking to local media men here at Thatta press club on Wednesday, he said the passage of floodwater was a natural process and if the quarters concerned took timely and appropriate steps, it would smoothly pass through the river bed inundating the Katcha area in case of high stream. The submerging of Katcha along the both banks of river would ultimately nourish and strengthen small and big forests, flora and fauna while revitalise the barren lands by descending the underground brackish water level in the deltaic region.

Mr Shah claimed that a hue and cry by the official concerned and non-official quarters about the flood was nothing but an agenda of vested interests who intended to cash in on the situation through all means.

Mr Shah said fishermen, Abadgars and tillers had heaved a sigh of relief after the recent access of a little water quantum to Thatta and Sujawal delta.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2015

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