DADU: As the threat of flooding looms large over the city, irrigation authorities on Saturday were planning a ‘cut’ in the Indus Highway at Mukhtiar Nanagar, if the flow of water towards the urban centre rises further.

Also on Saturday, jail authorities shifted 329 prisoners from the 93-year-old Dadu district jail to other prisons in the Hyderabad region in view of the threat of inundation, Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghaffar Chandio confirmed.

Water has started flowing towards Dadu city, submerging around 300 villages along the way, following a 500-wide breach in Ring bund at Pir branch, some 10kms from Dadu city, on Saturday.

Floodwater has affected parts of Pir Shahnawaz, Kamal Khan and Yar Mohammad Kalhoro of Dadu taluka. Water is moving towards Khudabad, Phakka and Papri of taluka Dadu.

An assistant engineer of the department told Dawn that local administration officials were monitoring the situation as the decision to cut the highway at Mukhtiar Nanagar would only be taken if the water level increased. At the moment, the flow of water towards the city has lost its pressure, he said.

In case the highway was disconnected, Dadu town’s road link to Bhan and Syedabad would be completely lost. Sehwan city has already been isolated due to the flooding of a large part of the highway between Sehwan and Bhan Syedabad towns with water from Manchhar Lake.

The towns of Johi and Mehar remain cut-off, while Khairpur Nathan Shah is completely inundated.

MPA Dadu Pir Mujeeb ul Haq told Dawn that all out efforts were being made to save Dadu city, and that machinery was being moved towards Dadu bypass.DC Dadu Syed Murtaza Ali Shah said that work on the ring bund continued at Buriro Shakh to Haitum Jatoi Phatak.

In addition, the grid station serving Bhan Syedabad was submerged after cuts were made to relieve the pressure on Manchhar Lake, suspending electricity supply to the city on Saturday morning.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2022