DADU, July 10: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Tuesday advised people living in villages located between Main Nara Valley drain and flood protective embankment to shift to safer places to avoid danger from possible breaches in the drain.

Talking to journalists at the Circuit House after holding a meeting with elected representatives of Qambar-Shahdadkot and Dadu districts, Mr Rahim said that a population of 25,000 to 30,000 would have to shift.

The rainwater of Qambar-Shahdadkot and Dadu districts would flow into Manchhar Lake after passing through flood protective embankment and MNV drain and would finally be released into the Indus River, he said.

He said that the government had made arrangements for shifting people in boats from their villages located between MNV drain and flood protective embankment between Faridabad and Manchhar Lake.

He said that ring-shaped embankments would be raised around Johi, Dadu, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah and their adjoining towns and villages to protect them by diverting the floodwater into Manchhar Lake.

“I am advising people through media to shift to safer places and I tell them that the government will pay them compensation for any possible damages to their houses (in case of breaches),” Mr Rahim said.

The chief minister had an aerial view by helicopter of different rain-hit parts of the district including Johi, flood protective embankment and Manchhar Lake. He also used vehicles to visit some devastated areas.

He announced Rs2 million for rain-affected people of Dadu and said that Rs15,000 each would be paid as compensation to the people whose houses were damaged in floods and rains.

Sindh Minister for Irrigation Nadir Akmal Leghari told journalists that a district flood command centre had been established in the office of district nazim, which would keep an eye on the floodwater and keep the chief minister updated on the situation.

He said that a health committee had been formed headed by the director general of Health Services to ensure medical facilities to the affected people.

The chief minister had put all the provincial departments on red alert after having established his camp in Dadu for last two days to monitor the floodwater situation.

MPAs Dr Sajeela Leghari and Sadaqat Ali Jatoi, District Nazim Karim Ali Jatoi and Qambar Taluka Nazim Sardar Chandio also attended the meeting.