MUZAFFARGARH: The district government has set up 11 relief camps to accommodate flood victims as the water level in the River Chenab is rising and riverine areas has been put on high alert.

Talking to Dawn, DCO Hafiz Shaukat Ali said on Thursday the two dozens villages along the river would be evacuated.

He said the officials of livestock, health, revenue, Rescue 1122 and irrigation had been put on high alert under a flood contingency plan of 2014.

He said that vigilance camps had been established at 12 points of RDs (reduced distance) points along the river in view of the expected floods. Relevant staff with sufficient equipment and search lights is available at the camp.

Around two dozen areas near Doaba, Muradabad and others will be evacuated while the district government has also got vacated some schools for the displaced people. Other river belt areas like Manjhan Sultan and Rangpur will also be under threat

The DCO said that all the affected people would be compensated by the government.

He said that livestock officials completed the vaccination of animals while holidays of all employees had been cancelled to meet any emergency situation.

EDO (Health) Dr Athar Iqbal said that anti-snake vaccine, ARV and other medicines were available in abundance.

Rescue 1122 district manager Dr Irshadul Haq said that rescuers were fully equipped with jackets, boats and vans to meet any emergency in the event of floods in the district.

Irrigation EXEN Rana Muhammad Afzal said that he along with his team was busy in plugging the breach while contractors were putting stones along threat areas in Muzaffargarh.

He said the Chenab had 350,000 cusec capacity, but in 2010 only 300,000 cusecs of water had played havoc with more than five dozen villages.

District Officer (Coordination) Kareem Bukhsh, a focal person for the flood emergency cell, claimed that all revenue officials were busy in surveying dangerous areas along the river.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2014