DADU: A small dam in Naing Sharif was under threat of collapse on Monday evening when it overtopped its banks and gushing water started inundating vast lands in many villages of Jhangara union council near Sehwan town.

While heavy rains in Khirthar mountain range, Kachho belt and other parts of Jamshoro and Dadu districts were continuing to pound the whole region with intermittent heavy, moderate and light spells, hill torrents were adding to the flows into the areas of Jhangara UC.

Reports from the area suggested that at least 16 villages and several hundred acres of farmland had already been inundated and an unspecified number of families remained marooned in the flooding-hit UC.

The flows had filled Gabole dam to its full storage capacity a day earlier and with more rains and hill torrents flowing into it, the dam overtopped its banks on Monday evening. Flooding of villages one after the other triggered rumours of the dam having collapsed but the officials concerned kept clarifying that it was intact so far. However, families living away from the affected villages started moving to safe places fearing for their lives.

They appealed to the authorities concerned to save them and their hutments.

The 16 inundated villages included Nawab Khan Rind, Ambh Khan Rind, Qurban Khan Rind, Punhoon Khan, Haji Chhato and Khaskheli.

Meanwhile, chief engineer of the Small Dams Organisation, Sindh, Shafqat Hussain Wadho, when contacted by Dawn said that Gabole dam had neither collapsed nor was it damaged. He said overtopping of water posed no serious threat to local population.

“Since rainfall was continuing and hill torrents were turning the situation worrisome, officers and personnel of the organisation were put on alert and they were monitoring the situation closely,” he said.

Two youths drown in pond

Two youths slipped into a pond, developed during recent heavy rainfall, and drowned in Ward No. 13, Chandia Nagar, in Badin district on Monday. They were identified as Zeeshan, 15, and Farhan, 14.

They were playing near the pond within their neighbourhood. Local divers were called in to rescue them. The divers took them out of water and they were rushed to the Indus (civil) Hospital but died before he could be provided any medical treatment.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022