KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the Irrigation Department to set up emergency control rooms at Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages and also at Sindh Secretariat to keep an eye on the minute to minute developments regarding floods in the province.

This he said while presiding over a meeting to review the flood situation in Sindh, just after returning from Khairpur on Monday.

The meeting was attended by provincial chief secretary, Siddique Memon, chief minister’s principal secretary, Alamuddin Bullo, senior member Board of Revenue Syed Mumtaz Shah and additional secretary of irrigation department and other concerned officers.

Giving details of the current water position, Siddique Memon said that at Guddu 353,361 cusecs discharge has been recorded at upstream while downstream discharge is 326,177 cusecs.

“At upstream Sukkur Barrage the discharge is 269,560 cusecs and downstream 214,030 cusecs while at Kotri Barrage the upstream discharge is 69,563 cusecs and downstream discharge is 28,868,” he apprised.

He said that on July 21, upstream Guddu Barrage was expected at 345,000 cusecs while downstream would be around 365,000 cusecs.

“It is a low flood, even then, necessary measures have been taken," he said and added that on the directives of chief minister the senior officers of irrigation department, including secretary, have been continuously monitoring the situation on the embankments.

The Sindh chief minister directed the irrigation department to set up control rooms at all the three barrages and also at the irrigation department to stay and keep updated about the minute to minute flood developments.

He also directed the chief secretary to issue directives to the deputy commissioners of all the districts, except Karachi, to make necessary arrangements for shifting of the residents of katcha area to safe places. "The katcha areas of River Indus have started flooding, therefore shifting of people and their belongings is necessary," he asserted.