SIALKOT, Aug 3: As many as 74 villages in the district were badly affected by flash floods in Aik and Dek water channels, which had been overflowing since Friday. As a result, thousands of people were left stranded in these villages.

On Saturday, water overflowing from Dek inundated 21 villages in the Pasrur Tehsil and 27 villages in the Zafarwal Tehsil. At least 48 villages remained under floodwater for the second consecutive day on Saturday as water level in Dek continued to rise.

According to the locals, water level in these flood affected villages of Pasrur, Zafarwal and Qila Ahmedabad was four to five feet high.

Irrigation officials named some of the affected villages as Jabbokey, Nawaadhey, Chahoor, Machchaana, Eispur, Seehowal, Mehtabpur, Hunjali, Tharo Mandi, Shahzada, Bharat and Khewa Bajwa. Agricultural land on hundreds of acres was also inundated in Pasrur and Zafarwal areas.

Floodwater also cut off the land link between various areas here. Pasrur-Zafarwal-Narowal Road and Chawinda-Sialkot-Pasrur Road remained under water for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

On Saturday, Aik water channel also overflowed leaving 26 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, inundated. Standing crops on hundreds of acres in Daska and Sambrial tehsils were also affected.

This is the third time in the last two weeks that Aik water channel has overflowed, leaving 26 villages in Daska and Sambrial teshsil inundated.

Also, hundreds of people from these flood-hit areas staged a protest demonstration in Gadiyaala village in the Sambrial Tehsil.

They blocked traffic on Daska-Sambrial Road for about two hours by setting up pickets and raised slogans against the Punjab government and district administration for their failure to take measures to save these villages from floods. They said the government and the district administration had left them at the mercy of floods.

Assistant commissioners of Daska and Sambrial talked to the protesters, assured them of relief and convinced them to disperse peacefully.

District Officer (Coordination) Malik Abid Hussain said the situation was under control on Saturday and water level in Aik and Dek was receding. He said the district administration, Civil Defence and Rescue 1122 were doing rescue work in flood affected areas.