Dawn Report

HYDERABAD, Aug 12: There is a significant drop in water level at Sukkur barrage upstream in the last three days as floodwater headed towards Kotri barrage, forcing authorities to analyse the situation very closely keeping in view figures of Sukkur downstream discharges.

For three days the flow constantly remained at over 1,130,000 cusec. On Aug 9 Sukkur upstream peak flow was recorded at 11,30,986 cusec and at 6pm on Thursday its upstream flow stood at 10,97,990 cusec against downstream discharge of 10,72,080, indicating a drop of 33,000 cusec. A falling trend at Guddu was also witnessed.

At the same time Kotri barrage flow was recorded at 208,471 upstream and 196,856 cusec downstream. The designed discharge of Kotri barrage is 875,000 cusec. Authorities are hopeful that expected flow of 800,000 or 850,000 cusec would flow downstream safely.

Kutcha area upstream Kotri has been submerged as water started approaching the main protective bund on both sides.

There are still people who are living in kutcha area and have not left for safer places.

In Khairpur, five children died and four were injured in flood affected kutcha area and at relief camps during last four days. Around 8,521 houses were damaged due to flood and 214 villages were submerged.

Similarly in Shikarpur, according to district administration, 650 villages were submerged while 300,000 people of pucca and kutcha areas were affected.

Five people died and 450 others injured in flood water during last four to five days. Pressure of high flood water continued on Ulra, Garhi Pathan and Fareedabad embankments.

In Sukkur, flood at upstream was 10,97,000 cusec and downstream 10,72,000 cusec. Flow of water at Guddu up and downstream was steadily 976,000 cusec as such water level at Guddu was decreasing, according to irrigation sources.

Meanwhile, more than 20,000 displaced persons of Kashmore, Kandhkot, Ghotki and Shikarpur districts, including Ghauspur, Karampur and Thull towns and adjoining parts of kutcha area reached Sukkur.

In Dadu, high flood was presently passing under the Dadu-Moro bridge, which was designed to withstand 1.2 million cusec of water and the flood would pass without causing any harm, said former chief engineer of Sukkur Barrage on Thursday. He said that Doulatpur loop bund, Turano Dhoro, Mad Bund, Bhanoth, Ghalian Bund were vulnerable points where more stones should be dumped.

Nau Goth was marooned by flood and around 10 more villages in Mehar taluka were flooded. Flood water submerged the Indus Highway at Bhago Toro and about 70 villages in Katchho area of Jamshoro were inundated.