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SUKKUR, July 10: The Administration has placed the entire irrigation staff on high alert in the wake of reports that a flow of about 545,000 cusecs at the Guddu Barrage is likely to increase by Monday morning, thereby increasing pressure at the Sukkur Barrage. However, officials said that on Sunday about 500,000 cusecs of water was passing through the barrage and PTV quoted chief meteorologist Shaukat Ali Awan as saying that the danger level at Sukkur was 700,000 cusecs.
Mr Awan also said that the water level at the Trimmu Barrage was 129,000 cusecs at noon and could rise up to 250,000 cusecs.
Meanwhile, two minor boys drowned when floodwater entered their homes in village Dad Talai in the katcha area of district Ghotki on late Saturday night. When the flood swamped the village most people, except the two children, moved to safe places. The boys were identified as Abdul Hameed Talai, 5, and Khadim Hussain Talai, 4.
Besides, a 20 feet wide breach had occurred in a protective bund near Rojhan (Punjab), which increased to 70 feet by Sunday morning. The water gushing from the breach was flowing over the railway track between Dera Ghazi Khan and Kashmore railway sections and moving towards the Indus Highway. Many areas, including Jhandi, union council Miranpur, Qazi Quarter, Badli railway station, Pacca Chang, Mohri, Mundri and Dera Dildar were under water, and army personnel were evacuating the affected people.
On the other hand, three channels supplying water to the Guddu thermal power station overflowed on Sunday and unconfirmed reports said that water from one of the channels had entered 17 villages.
An official of the Guddu barrage said that when water flow increased to over 500,000 cusecs it was normal for channels to overflow. He said that reports of a breach in the channel on by some TV channels were not correct.
It has been reported that more than 20 villages of district Khairpur have been inundated and people living in katcha areas of the district have started moving to safe places as water level was constantly rising.
Sources at the Sukkur barrage said that the water discharge at Guddu upstream was 545,923 cusecs and downstream 513,193 cusecs; at Sukkur barrage upstream it was recorded 381,783 and downstream 329,388 cusecs; and at the Kotri barrage upstream it was 103,517 cusecs and downstream 65,695 cusecs.
MULTAN: Authorities in Multan are maintaining ‘high alert’ to cope with the swell in the river Chenab with 200,000 to 250,000 cusecs of water likely to pass by Multan and adjoining areas on Monday.
The administration has marked mine sensitive points along the 85-kilometre embankment built to save Multan from inundation.
Help of armed forces has been sought and people living in low- lying areas along the river have been asked to leave for safe places.
It is learnt that half of the estimated 6,000 people in low- lying areas have been evacuated while steps are under way to move others before the flood reaches Multan, Kabirwala (Khanewal) and Rangpur (Muzaffargarh).
SIALKOT: About 65 villages and hundreds of acres of agricultural land remained under water in various parts of Sialkot district on Monday due to the high flood in Chenab and Tavi and in the seasonal Naullah Dek.
Dozens of mud-houses have collapsed in Bajwat villages following heavy rain and flood in the River Tavi. A large number of people are marooned in the area.
All the 85 bordering villages of Bajwat remained cut off for the fourth day from the rest of the country after the authorities removed the small wooden bridge over the River Tavi.
Another 62 villages of Sialkot and Narowal districts were inundated after the Naullah Dek overflew it banks near Narowal, Qila Ahmadabad, Noor Kot, Zafarwal, Pasrur, Qila Sohba Singh and Pasrur.
