SUKKUR/LARKANA: A large number of villages along the embankments of the Indus River were swept away by strong currents over-topping the banks as discharge at Guddu barrage crossed the 700,000 cusecs mark and at Sukkur barrage the flow increased to nearly the same level on Sunday.

Senior Sindh Minister for Irrigation Nisar Khuhro, currently visiting various protective bunds in Larkana district, told the media that the Indus at both the barrages was in high flood and the discharge would definitely go up over the next few days as a consequence of torrential rains continuing in the upper areas of the country. He, however, ruled out devastation by flood at this stage, saying that the situation was not likely to turn as serious as had been witnessed in 2010 and 2011.The water discharge at Guddu barrage upstream was recorded at 737,959 cusecs and downstream at 729,338 cusecs on Sunday evening. The discharge at Sukkur barrage upstream was recorded at 642,595 cusecs and downstream at 615,995 cusecs.

The currents over-topping the Indus banks inundated thousands of acres of the kutcha area lands in upper and central Sindh, sources said, adding that most people of the areas had either moved to safe places on their own or transported to relief camps by the authorities concerned.

The deluge also washed away several hundred thatched houses vacated by their inhabitants. Sources in Sukkur and Ghotki said still some families along with their cattle head and household articles were on the move in search of highlands to escape drowning.

Mr Khuhro described the situation as a regular feature in the wake of peak floods at barrages.

Mr Khuhro said that the Zamindari bund might not withstand flood-water pressure this time, recalling that it had been washed away strong currents during the previous floods.

Speaking to the media after visiting the Akil Aghani loop bund and Tori bund, he said the provincial government along with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had taken measures to cope with a situation arising out of even 1,000,000 cusecs discharge at the barrages.

He said he himself was regularly monitoring the situation. “If more flood-water enters the system from India, we will be able to deal with the situation,” he said, adding that currently flood-water from India was being released at Trimora. All sensitive points and dykes were under supervision with stones, machinery and workforce having been made available at the vulnerable sites to meet any eventuality, he said.

In reply to a question, he said that around 250,000 people had been evacuated from the flooded/vulnerable areas and accommodated in various relief camps in the province so far. He said 50 per cent of the kutcha area in Sindh had inundated which routinely happened in such a situation and was helpful in increasing soil fertility.

Larkana district PPP general secretary Abdul Fatah Bhutto, Dr Sakina Gaad, Aslam Shaikh and other party leaders were also present.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Amir Bakhsh Bhutto on Sunday visited submerged villages near Naudero and spoke to the people whose houses were marooned.

The affected families told him that neither any minister nor any other elected representative or official had visited them to offer any relief or assistance, according to a press release issued by the party.

Mr Bhutto told them that the PPP had misappropriated billions of rupees provided to it for the people affected by the 2010 flood and would for sure do the same this time.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play