In Sialkot, Chiniot, Narowal and Gujranwala, the floodwater of the River Chenab and seasonal nullahs inundated on Saturday urban and rural localities displacing tens of thousands of people. Major cities like Sialkot, Norwal, Zafarwal, Qila Ahmedabad, Wazirabad, Wahando, Kamoki, Sadhoki and Naushera Virkan were flooding.

Chiniot

Up to 19 villages of Chiniot were under the Chenab flood on Saturday.

As the water flow increases from 350,000 cusecs (Saturday) to 600,00 cusecs on Sunday (today), more areas are likely to be under flooding.

The nine relief centres have yet to receive the first visitor as people are staying with their relatives in safer places.

Narowal

As a 65,000 cusec deluge in the Nullah Dek entered Narowal on Saturday, it washed away the dyke at two points inundating Zafarwal, Qila Ahmedabad, Narowal city and 55 villages.

The flash flood caused a breach in the dyke near Jandiala and then another near village Choor. Within minutes, Zafarwal city was under flooding. All streets are under four feet water.

Qila Ahmedabad town was under two feet water. The flood water was flowing in the Narowal city and Baddomalhi.

Sialkot

The flooded Aik, Palkhu and Bhed nullahs submerged the Sialkot city.

Municipality officials said the nullahs were in high flood and torrential rains worsened the situation. The city streets were under three to four feet water.TMA officials said they were trying to remove the water using machinery. Also, 725,000 cusecs flood passed through the Marala head works in the River Chenab.

Marala Irrigation Executive Engineer Muhammad Arif said another 900,000 to 1 million cusec flood was likely in the River Chenab late on Saturday or early on Sunday. He said India had released 300,000 cusecs in the River Chenab.

District Focal Person Malik Abid Husain Awan said Army jawans continued a rescue and relief operation in the flood-hit areas of Sialkot, Head Marala, Bajwat and Zafarwal. He said high flood warnings were issued for the River Chenab, River Tavi and Aik, Dek and Palkhu nullahs.

He said the water level also shot up to 34,500 cusecs in the River Tavi on Saturday and 76,847 cusecs in the River Jammu Munaawar.

Gujranwala

The overnight continuous torrential rain and overflow of the nullah Pulkho and the River Chenab wreaked havoc in Wazirabad city. Army has been called in to shift people to safer places.

Army jawans also undertook rescue works in Wahando, Kamoki, Sadhoki and Naushera Virkan which were under the flooding of the Nullah Deg.

Provincial Health Secretary Babar Hayat and District Coordination Officer Azmat Mehmood visited Wazirabad and other flood affected areas.

Wazirabad Assistant Commissioner Rao Sohail Akhtar said nine health relief camps had been set up in the city and other affected areas. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also visited the residence of deceased Nawaz where three people were killed in a roof collapse incident. He expressed his condolence and gave compensation of Rs5 million to heirs.

PML-N MPA Chaudhry Ashraf Warraich gave a cheque for Rs500,000 to Jamil whose son Ali Majid was killed when the wall of a seminary fell on Nat Kalan Road in Ghakkhar town.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2014