DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 4: Hill torrents in Kaha and Chhachhar wreaked havoc with standing crops on hundreds of acres and human settlements in the arid zone as well as in settle areas of Rajanpur district.
Local tribal people say that continuous downpour in the Sulaiman range has doubled the volume of seasonal flood situation.
Lal Khan Chaang, a local resident, said the flood was so violent that they hardly managed to move to higher grounds for safety.
The flood caused by hill torrents in Rajanpur also affected Darkhast Jamal Khan Gharbi Two, the area of Dera Ghazi Khan district.
The Dera DCO told Dawn that he along with elected representatives of the area visited Darkhast Jamal where most of crops were affected in Mauza Gharbi two. He claimed that the district government had established relief camps in nearby areas, but there was no need of any major evacuation of the people in the area.
Malik Aftab, residents of Bokhara Sharif, an ancient human settlement in the arid zone of Rajanpur district, told Dawn that very high flood in Kaha and Chharchhar was witnessed on Saturday night.
He said the high flood played havoc in Rakh Fazilpur, Hajipur, Meeranpur, Noshehra, Burra, Bokhara Sharif, Jhok Maher, Basti Channar and other areas.
Dera Commissioner Chaudhry Ameen said that it was high flood in Kaha and Chhachhar hill torrents as 95,000 cusecs of water was flowing in Kaha and 60,000 cusecs in Chhachhar.
He said: “Right now it is difficult to the assess the total number of affected mauzas, but roughly it is estimated that about 10 mauzas, including Bambly, Tibbi Loundan and Lalgarh, are hit by flood.”
Secretary Health Hassan Iqbal said that 32 relief-cum-medical camps had been established in flood-hit areas in the Rajanpur district with the back up of four mobile medical teams.
He said there was an unconfirmed report about the death of two persons as a result of collapsing of a roof.
SIALKOT: The water level started receding on Sunday in the flood-hit villages, but still two to three feet water was standing in 74 villages in four tehsils of the Sialkot district.
These villages were badly affected by the flash flood in nullahs Aik and Dek as the high flood played havoc in these areas on Friday and Saturday.
The district administration on Sunday managed to discharge the flood water into Upper Chenab Canal near Sahowala-Sambrial and Marala Ravi Link Canal near Pasrur and Baddo Malhi to save villages from further disaster in Sambrial-Daska, Pasrur, Zafarwal and Qila Ahmedabad.
District Officer (Coordination) Malik Abid Hussain Awan said the situation was under control as the River Chenab and nullahs Aik and Dek were flowing normally in the Sialkot district.
He said the flow of water was only 2,700 cusecs in Nullah Aik at Oora-Sialkot, 3,600 cusecs in Nullah Dek at Chahoor-Pasrur and 89,000 cusecs in River Chenab at Head Marala on Sunday.
Sambrial Deputy District Officer (Agriculture) Chaudhry Nafees Hundal told reporters that standing crops on at least 3,500 acres of land in Sambrial tehsil had been badly destroyed in Saturday’s flash flood in Nullah Aik.
He said special teams were also assessing the loss of property and livestock.
Some senior officials said that hundreds of people, including women and children, in Sambrial tehsil remained stranded in flood-hit villages, including Bhopalwala, Aadamkey, Lodhikey Cheema, Warsaalkey, Puraaney Key, Choohr Chak, Umer Key, Passiya, Veeram Key, Gadiyaala East, Gadiyaala West, Wassankey and Taajo Key Cheema.
Punjab Irrigation Minister Mian Yawar Zaman visited flood-hit villages in Pasrur tehsil and reviewed relief activities there.
He announced early re-channelization and re-alignment of the flooded Nullah Dek from Qila Ahmedabad to Tatley Aaly village to save villages of Pasrur, Zafarwal, Qila Ahmedabad and surrounding areas from recurring flood disasters.
The minister directed provincial secretary irrigation Chaudhry Nazir Ahmed to prepare the PC-1 of the project for establishing six-kilometer-long protective dyke along Nullah Dek near Chahoor village in Pasrur.
LAYYAH: The medium level flood in River Indus inundated on Sunday dozens of localities and standing crops on hundreds of acres while the district administration issued a warning to inhabitants of the riverine belt to move to safer places.
Currently, 487,044 cusecs of water is flowing in downstream Chashma Headwork which is only 13,000 less than the high flood, says EXEN irrigation Muhammad Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry.
The low level flood had passed through Layyah district on July 27, but a high level flood is feared due to recent heavy rains in catchment areas of the River Indus.
The revenue field staff issued the flood warning in riverine belt through loudspeakers, directing inhabitants to move to safer places, said flood focal person and Additional District Collector Muhammad Amin Awaisi.
The localities inundated by the flood include Bait Mongar Khai, Wadhay Wali of UC Warrah Seharan, Basti Mudd Mochiwala of UC Baseera, Basti Sobhaywali, Basti Gurmani, Basti Chan, Basti Jhakkhar, Bait Gujji, Basti Chandia of UC Kotla Haji Shah, Lohanch Nashaib, Jhakhar Bait Wasawa and Bakhri Ahmed Khan.
Muhammad Iqbal of Wadhay Wali said the people were moving to safer places on self-help basis and the district administration had established no medical or relief camp.
SHEIKHUPURA: The water of Bhair Nullah entered Kala Khatai, Rampura and adjoining localities on Sunday after bursting of its banks due to recent heavy rains, inundating dozens of mud houses and damaging standing crops of paddy, fodder and vegetables. The traffic on Lahore, Narang via Kala Khatai Road suspended after submerging of the two kilometer part of the road.
Residents of Kala Khatai and adjoining areas protested against the negligence of the irrigation department and held responsible its officials for the current situation.
They blamed that the de-silting process had never been carried out by irrigation officials.
Local officials of the irrigation department said that it was a national calamity, however, the department would carry out the de-silting process in future.