Flood wreaks more havoc in Wazirabad

Published September 8, 2014
A villager carries his possessions while wading through floodwater following heavy rains in Jafar Kot near Wazirabad, some 100 kilometers (65 miles) north of Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. — Photo by AP
A villager carries his possessions while wading through floodwater following heavy rains in Jafar Kot near Wazirabad, some 100 kilometers (65 miles) north of Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014. — Photo by AP
A rescue worker approaches Pakistani villagers waiting in a tree to be rescued from a flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Rasoolpur village, Wazirabad, some 100 kilometers (65 miles) north of Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014.— Photo by AP
A rescue worker approaches Pakistani villagers waiting in a tree to be rescued from a flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Rasoolpur village, Wazirabad, some 100 kilometers (65 miles) north of Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014.— Photo by AP

GUJRANWALA: The flood situation in Wazirabad city worsened on Sunday with the floodwater entering the city and inundating houses and all the government offices, including courts and THQ Hospital, with two to three feet of water.

A man, identified as Ramzan, died in village Murraliwala when the roof of his house caved in due to flood, burying him under the debris.

Businesses community, traders and citizens in Wazirabad were feeling panicky when water suddenly entered their shops and houses.

Surrounding areas of the city have also been flooded where army soldiers and rescuers were called to shift people to safer places.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Azmat Mehmood and army officers visited the flooded areas and monitored the rescue operation.

According to Wazirabad flood control centre, the water level in Nullah Palkhu and Head Marala is normal while the flood situation at Kamonki in Wahndo areas along Nullah Dek is under control.

SHEIKHUPURA: The floodwater from the Ravi entered several villages near Mandi Faizabad, displacing the inhabitants and damaging paddy fields and other crops. Fourteen-year-old Arshad drowned in floodwater near Nullah Bhiki Saim.

The worst-hit localities in the area included Heraywala, Sheikh Da Tubewell, Jattan Da Warra, Goraya and Buchoke Par. The Nanakana district administration has started rescue operation and provided bags of edible articles and fodder to the affectees.

The seasonal nullahs and rainwater entered villages near Warburton, destroying crops, mud houses and outhouses. The affectees had to take shelter in safer places while the rescue operation was also in process.

Three breaches occurred in BRB Canal near Kala Khatai, Narang Mandi, and the canal water inundated crops and damaged mud houses.

The district administration has cancelled leaves of the government employees, including those of Rescue, Civil Defense, Health and Revenue departments, and the workers have been called to join the rescue operation.

CHINIOT: The floodwater inundated 89 villages in Chiniot district as over 600,000 cusec water of the Chenab passed through it.

The army has been called for relief and rescue work while people were evacuated from 150 villages which are under high risk of flood. Over 900,000 cusec water is expected to pass through Chiniot on Monday.

The army, district administration and Rescue 1122 have rescued 1,686 people who were trapped in the floodwater.

Auqaf Secretary Dr Saqib Aziz and Chiniot DCO Dr Irshad Ahmad visited the flood-hit areas in riverine areas, flood relief camps and embankments. They asked the officials concerned to make available all essential facilities and eatables at relief camps and directed the irrigation department EXEN to ensure repair and fortification of embankments to counter high flood in the Chenab.

TOBA TEK SINGH: The floodwater inundated hundreds of acres of farmland due to erosion in the Ravi bank near Jhalar Sagla in Kamalia tehsil.

The farmers told the media that crops worth millions of rupees had been destroyed due to erosion.

The villagers living near the Ravi bank in Kamalia and Pirmahal tehsils have been asked to shift to safer places. Flood relief camps have also been set up in both the tehsils where animals were also being vaccinated to save them from epidemics.

An official said medium level flood had been reported at Head Sidhnai in Pirmahal tehsil. He added 80,000 cusecs of water passed on Sunday under the Ravi bridge on the Kamalia-Chichwatni road.

Punjab Sports Board director general Usman Anwar visited the villages and flood relief camps along the Ravi on Sunday in Kamalia and Pirmahal. The chief minister's advisor Barrister Ali Raza, DCO Dr Farah Masood and ADC Khadim Jilani also accompanied him

OKARA: The district administration has set up 10 relief camps in Depalpur, four in Okara and two in Renala Khurd to deal with any emergency in the villages situated in the along the Ravi.

At present, the Ravi is having medium level flood with below 50,000 cusec water at Balloki while water flow is 32,000 cusec in the Sutlej at Head Sulemanki. The chairman of flood relief committee, MPA Syed Raza Ali Gillani, was briefed on the flood situation by DCO Qaisar Saleem in his office.

Mr Gillani directed EDO Health Dr Saeedullah Khan to supervise the health counters at relief camps across the district. All the relief camps in the district have been set up by the health department, livestock department, revenue department and Rescue 1122.

The district administration has established a special camp for relief and rescue activities with three boats at village Kund Bohr, some 42km in the north-east of the Ravi.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2014

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