JHANG: An unseasonal rise in the Jhelum water level has resulted in the closure of the boat bridge near Machiana and damaged crops and mud houses, particularly on the right bank area falling between the river bank and Thal desert.

Reports said a flash flood in the Jhelum [unexpected in May] caused probably by heavy release of water from the Mangla reservoir due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas coupled with the increase in water flow from Chashma-Jhelum link canal, caused damage to crops, particularly vegetables.

Villagers were caught unawares as no prior intimation or information was sounded to them by the district administration but luckily no loss of human life or cattle had been reported from anywhere on long stretch of the flood-stricken area.

The damaged areas included low-lying Mari Shah Sakhera, Butta, Bela Sher, Kot Shakir, Sajhir Chohan, Kot Maldev, Machiana, Machiwal and Dosa villages.

The greatest loss to the people of the area caused by the unseasonal flooding is the closure of the [damaged] boat bridge between Machiana and Chela on the left bank of the river which had reduced the travelling time between Jhang and Khushab by half an hour.

It merits mentioning that there is no bridge on the Jhelum between Sahiwal (Sargodha) and Trimu Headworks, a distance of almost 100 kilometers. So this bridge is a source of great comfort and convenience to commuters between Jhang, Khushab, Jauharabad and onwards to Mianwali.

The bridge remains open to light traffic between October and July.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2019