MULTAN, July 6: Two small towns of Kot Sultan and Jaman Shah in Layyah district are on the verge of being submerged following high flood in the Indus. The floodwater has reached near Kot Sultan and Jaman Shah from the western side of the towns having a population of 50,000. A spokesman for the Layyah district authorities feared that the two towns might be submerged if the floodwater in the river swelled from its current level. He said the residents of these towns had been directed to remain prepared to be evacuated in case of an emergency.

He said the Layyah-Kot Addu Road had almost been closed to vehicular traffic and the railway traffic on the track passing through the area might also be affected.

Two more villages — Bait Wasawa Shumali and Bakhari Ahmad Khan — have reportedly been washed away in the floodwater. However, no casualty has so far been reported from the flood-hit area.

The water discharge at Tuansa Barrage on Wednesday evening was about 513,000 cusecs which in the day was 526,000 cusecs.

Meanwhile, Dera range DIG police Humayun Raza visited the flood-hit areas and ordered patrolling in boats in the affected areas.

Layyah DPO Mian Maqbool told the DIG that the police had set up a control and information centre to collect data of the water discharge from Kalabagh to downstream Tuansa Barrage in order to forewarn the people in case of an emergency.

Likewise, some 150 armymen are also taking part in relief measures in the district.

According to an ISPR press release, a flood warning centre has been set up in collaboration with the civil administration at the engineering headquarters of the Multan Corps.

The Punjab livestock director-general also visited the flood-hit district to gear up arrangements for the protection of the livestock there. He was informed that some 17 centres had been set up for the vaccination of animals.

It was pointed out that people were facing shortage of fodder for their livestock, and were forced to sell them at a throwaway price in the market where the middlemen were exploiting the situation.

At this, the DG directed smooth supply of fodder from Khaireywala and other centres.