- Punjab, Sindh rivers in fierce mood; citizens evacuate
- K-Electric’s glitches follow heavy rain, 117 feeders trip in Karachi
CHITRAL/MUZAFFARGARH/KARACHI: Pakistan Army is continuing the relief and rescue operation across Chitral and adjoining areas as two helicopters are making sorties to provide relief items and evacuate the stranded people.
Relief items distributed among flood affectees in Chitral and Skardu include staple food, tents, quilts and medicines. A medical team has been dispatched for treatment of the affectees.
According to the Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR), army helicopters are continuously conducting flights across Chitral for relief activities. As many as 60 people have been rescued from Bani and Korag today. MI-17 helicopters are being used for relief and rescue operations.
Pakistan Army’s Engineering unit and plants in Chitral are working round-the-clock, using heavy machinery to repair damaged bridges and keep roads open. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a special engineers team with equipments will also reach Chitral on Wednesday.
The destructive flash floods have cut off land links of several villages in Skardu and Chitral region. ISPR says dozens of families have been shifted to safer places.
The flood have damaged crops and dozens of mud-houses in the affected areas, however, there was no loss to human lives and livestock there.
In Punjab, at least 170 more villages of Kot Adu, Ali Pur and Kandhkot areas have been washed away in floods in River Sindh. Affectees continue to shift to safer places. Moreover, moderate level flood in River Ravi has been reported. Separately, Mozah Ahmed Bhagyala in Harappa has been completely inundated.
River Indus has flooded hundreds of adjoining villages. According to the details, dozens of villages in Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Kehror Lall Ussain and Kot Mithan have been inundated. As many as 70 villages of Ghotki have lost land connections to other parts.
Corps Commander Multan, Lt General Ashfaq Nadeem visited Layyah Wednesday. Talking to media he said the army has deployed 1500 troops to aid the affected people and assured that they will be with the people at every difficult time. He sought cooperation of the people to reduce losses.
Levees have collapsed in Dera Ghazi Khan while the authorities have opened spill ways of Tarbela Dam.
At least 450,000 cusecs water is passing through River Sindh at Muzaffargarh point. Crops grown on thousands of acres of land along at least 256 kilometres (km) of the river have been destroyed.
The authorities have shut down canals due to flood in Head Taunsa. These canals include Muzaffargarh Canal, Dera Ghazi Khan Canal and TP Link.
To add to the tragedy, boats owners are charging at least Rs 1,000 per person to shift families to safer places.
Army has also been moved to Sukkur Barrage to keep a close eye on the flood situation.
Heavy rain in Karachi destroyed roads and caused 117 feeders to trip. Several areas are awaiting power supply for more than 11 hours.
K-Electric authorities said that a broken wire caused the fault. However, at least 90 feeders have been fixed until the filing of this report.
Citizens faced difficulties due to the electrical power outages. The administration declared rain emergency in light of the current situation. Vacations of officials of concerned departments were also suspended. Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui visited different affected areas and reviewed the situation after the rainfall.
According to the details, an emergency meeting presided by Siddiqui was called. Siddiqui stated that legal action will be taken against those officials of concerned departments who are found absent or those who deliberately avoid work. He ordered eradication of encroachments, removal of dangerous sign boards and advised round the clock working.
The current monsoon spell will continue for seven more days in Pakistan and its intensity will become high in next three days, according to Meteorological Department.
The Met office predicted heavy rains for the entire Sindh including Karachi and South Punjab for Thursday. Following rains in Sindh and South Punjab, the current monsoon spell will spread in Balochistan.
Rain is also expected in the adjacent areas of Indus River in Punjab that included Mianwali, Kandiyan, Dawood Khel, Layyah and Bhakhar.
INP