SIALKOT: A woman and a child were killed as Sialkot’s high water woes persisted on Sunday.

Khalida Bibi died of an electric shock she suffered while working at her home at Sherpur village. At Daska’s Burj Cheema village, 10-year-old Muqaddas was killed when the roof of her house caved in.

A bright sunshine instilled hopes of recovery and rehabilitation among people in many parts of the flooded city. The Tehsil Municipal Administration claimed the flood was receding.

Federal Minister for Defence, Water and Power Khwaja Muhammad Asif visited the flood-hit areas like Model Town, Allama Iqbal Town, Pakka Garha, Mochipura, Gulistan Colony, Muslim Town, Pakpura, Premnagar, Poorannagar, Hajipura, Naikapura, Cantonment areas and Defence Road and asked the TMA officials to expedite relief and rescue activities.

He told newsmen that the flood water was receding and the government was monitoring the situation.

On Friday, Nullah Aik, Palkhu and Bhed overflowed and flooded the city. According to the District Flood Control Office the flood water level was receding in these drains on Sunday.

Officials of the army continued operation in the flood-hit Sialkot, Head Marala, Bajwat, Zafarwal and surrounding areas and shifted the stranded people to safe places.

MNA Armaghan Subhani said 56 villages on both sides of the Sialkot-Head Marala Road remained inundated due to high flood in Palkhu for the third consecutive day. A dyke was damaged by this flood. Eighty-five villages of Bajwat also remained under water.

Fifty-three villages in Bella Area near Sambrial along the bank of the Chenab had worn a catastrophic look. Twenty-five Zafarwal villages and 56 Pasrur villages were submerged under water.

The flood level in the Chenab dropped to 238,760 cusecs on Sunday from overnight peak of 947,000. Executive Engineer Muhammad Arif said the flood water level was receding but Chenab was still in high flood.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2014