NAWABSHAH, June 29: A breach occurred in the Gujra Canal and another in the Khiyaryoon Branch here on Tuesday as a result several areas of the old city were inundated. The first breach, which was about 50 feet wide, occurred in Gujra Canal originating from Nusrat Canal.

As water was diverted to the Khiyaryoon Branch to prevent the breach from widening, it also developed a 100 feet wide breach. As a result, several settlements of the Linepar area - including Jamshed, Mumtaz, Disposal and Rao Hanif colonies, Gulshan Madina and Santa Singh and Siddique villages came under water.

No life loss was reported but household items worth million of rupees were destroyed or damaged.The affected residents were shifted to nearby school buildings as a temporary arrangement.

The breaches were later plugged by the irrigation officials and the area residents. District Nazim Faryal Talpur, DCO Gul Mohammad Umrani and Superintending Engineer, Rohri Circle, Irrigation department, Manzoor Magsi, visited the affected area.

The nazim made food arrangements for the displaced families and directed the taluka municipal administration to immediately drain out water standing in around 150 houses.

When contacted, the superintending engineer expressed the opinion that the farmers at the upper stretch of the Nusrat Canal might have bee involved in the breaches as the irrigation department had implemented a water rotation programme to ensure supply of water to land located at the tail end of the canal.

He added that the breach had occurred in an sandy area where breaches had often occurred in the past. On the other hand, a farmer, who did not want his name to be disclosed, said that the breaches had occurred due to the inefficiency and carelessness of the area irrigation officials.

Elaborating, he said that water supply to the Jheemal and Dhoronaro minors and Panjo Chan Branch, originating from the Gujra Canal, had been suspended on Monday as a part of the water rotation programme. This had resulted into an increased water pressure on the Gujro Canal which could not sustain it and developed a breach, the grower said.