NAWABSHAH, Sept 4: Water supply to a number of irrigation channels has been affected due to collapse of a flank wall Sakrand regulator of Rohri Canal.

Supply to Naseer and Hala irrigation divisions has been reduced to 25 per cent whereas a number of minor canals, including Khaddar and Attur, have been affected due to collapse of left side of the wall at downstream of the canal.

The walls on left and right side of embankments were severely damaged as an affect of the damage to the flank wall on Wednesday. The canal normally flows 8,000 cusec of water but the flow was immediately reduced from Sukkur Barrage and it was expected that it would flow around 3,000 cusec.

The canal is also a source of water supply to parts of Nawabshah city. The supply of drinking water to city would also be affected due to low flow in the canal.

The Sindh irrigation secretary, the chief engineer of Sukkur Barrage and other officials visited the spot and ordered immediate repair and use of alternative channel for the supply. Heavy machinery was brought in for the repair. Superintending Engineer, Rohri Circle, Hyderabad, Babar Affandi told this correspondent that the structure was old and built in 1930s. He said the system was being maintained time to time but the present situation was different as they did not know the actual reason of the collapse.

He said it seemed that flank wall collapsed due to some problem in the base which could only be ascertained after emptying the canal. He said the canal would be dried through pumping machines and the water would be diverted to Khaddar minor canal.

He said that the supply would be affected up to 25 per cent only as water would be supplied through a bypass regulator. He said the supply to Naseer and Hala divisions would be affected.

He said Naseer division was already on a water rotation plan and now a rotation plan would be introduced in Hala division for at least two weeks. He expressed the hope that the repair work would be completed in a week.