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SANGHAR/UMERKOT: A dyke built around Shahdadpur to protect the town from flood developed a breach late on Saturday night and inundated several areas in the town, while a fresh wave of rainwater from Sanghar spread panic in Umerkot district.
People left their homes and took shelter at elevated places. The breach was plugged on Sunday by local people with the help of policemen and municipal workers.
Meanwhile, eight people died of gastroenteritis in Shahdadpur, Shahpur Chakar and Maqsoodo Rind on Sunday.
A boy drowned in rainwater accumulated in Azad Khaskheli village and an old man died in the outpatient department set up at the gate of Sanghar civil hospital.
In Umerkot, a fresh surge of water from Sanghar scared people in Pithoro taluka, which is still lying submerged.
The oncoming water was blocked at different places, particularly near Bacha bund, to protect the Umerkot-Mirpurkhas road but the flow of water continued and may hit the road any time.
Meanwhile, a heavy surge from Nawabshah inundated Sanghar district and crossed Perumal. It is now moving towards Khahi and Pithoro talukas.
MNAs Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani and Nawab Yousuf Talpur, federal adviser Faqir Jadam Mangrio, provincial minister Syed Ali Mardan Shah and MPA Nawab Taimur Talpur held a meeting with irrigation officials and growers and discussed ways of draining out water and removing encroachment from drains.
Farmers complained that influential people had blocked the flow of water in drains.
The legislators formed a technical committee comprising irrigation officials and provided six excavators to remove encroachments and clear natural drains to allow water to flow into the Old Dhoro drain for onward flow to Rann of Kachh.
They said that if anyone resisted removal of encroachments the army would be called to handle the situation.
