KASUR: Dozens of villages along the Sutlej in Kasur were marooned due to rising floodwater levels that had exceeded the very high level on Friday.

The downstream water level at Ganda Singh was above 261,053 cusecs, forcing evacuations for locals and their relocation to safer places.

In July, the water receded after touching the mark of 114,000 cusecs. The river started swelling in August after heavy rains in catchment areas in India.

The floodwaters washed away many embankments, mud houses and hamlets. The flood also damaged crops and livestock. As the water stood in the villages for over a month, the settlements could not withstand the mighty waves of floodwater and were damaged.

The district administration evacuated about 10,000 people and moved them to safer places, including public schools. The schools, after the summer vacation, will reopen on Aug 21. This poses a challenging situation for the district administration.

Villages Pattan, Dhoop Sari, Nagar, Chanda Singh, Maboki, Basti Ibrahim, Sahjra, Fattiwala, Bhikiwind, Mahiwala, Gatti Kalanjer, Walaywala, Bhedian, Usmanwala, Kothi Fateh Muhammad, Ulakay, Baqarkay, Kamalpura, Hakowala, and many settlements near Ganda Singh and along the Sutlej were submerged in the flood.

The situation near Kanganpur was also alarming as embankments at village Saadh and Harchowki were swept away. Villages of Kanganpur, such as Rangaywala, Kot Sundar Singh, Mansowala, Rukanpura and Attar Singhwala, were also suffering from high floodwater.

According to villagers, if the embankment of village Harchowki along the Sutlej is washed away, floodwater would also damage villages Chhabar and Dayia Singhwala.

Hundreds of people who started leaving their homes in the Mandi Usmanwala area along the River Sutlej were facing hardships.

Rescuers had only one boat for evacuation, forcing people to move on their own.

The affected villages are Tatara, Rajowal, and Dona Baito. The district administration did not set up any relief camp at Sutlej near Mandi Usmanwala.

The residents demanded that the district administration focus on Mandi Usmanwala, alleging that its entire focus was on Ganda Singh Talwar Post where the ministers and secretaries visit to check performance.

In a late evening development, Rescue 1122 rescued 15 people from a precarious situation. The boat they were on was on the brink of capsizing due to the powerful current of the heavy floodwaters near Kothi Fateh Muhammad, close to the Kanganpur post.

BAHAWALPUR: With reports of swelling water levels in the Sutlej, authorities have issued an alert to the population living on both sides of the river in the areas of district Bahawalpur’s Khairpour Tamewali, Magnwani Pattan, Dera Bakha, Bahawalpur, Samsatta and Ahmedpur East.

The people in the riverine areas have been asked to evacuate the areas.

OKARA: A high-level Sutlej flood will pass through Okara and Pakpattan districts on Saturday, said Okara Deputy Commissioner Dr Muhammad Zeeshan Hanif at a press briefing.

In addition to the prior arrangements and measures taken more than four weeks ago, additional lifeboats and other accessories have been arranged from other districts as the water level was gradually increasing.

There are 127 villages and localities comprising 150,000 residents in the Sutlej bed areas. The district administration is alert to the situation, and these area residents have been strictly instructed to vacate the areas with their cattle to avoid any untoward situations.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023