LARKANA/ DADU, Aug 28 Six breaches were made in a canal on the border between Shahdadkot and Dadu on Saturday in the presence of elected representatives to save the town of Warah from flooding amid resistance from people living on the Dadu side.

Nazeer Ahmed Bughio, an MNA who visited the Dhamraho canal along with Sindh Food Minister Mir Nadir Magsi and MPA Najam Abro, told Dawn that there was no resistance and floodwaters had been provided its 'natural route'.

The cuts had been made between Supro bund and MNV drain near Kando Wah and Garhi villages, he said, adding that the move had allowed the water to run its natural course towards what he described as katcha area.

Mr Bughio said had cuts not been made, the mounting pressure and subsequent overflow of water from Naseer Shakh (branch) could have posed a serious threat to Mehar and Khairpur Nathan Shah.

Sources said that more than 40 villages were under water and most of the residents had abandoned their homes.

About 20,000 people of Shahdadkot (population 200,000) who had fled the town have returned home.

An executive engineer of the irrigation department said that eight breaches had occurred in the Khirthar canal.

Dr Shafqat Soomro, a PPP leader, said a breach at RD-52, near Sheranpur village, was widening and posed a threat to Ratodero town.

Sources said that the Frontier Works Organisation had been tasked to strengthen the banks of Sallar Shakh and Janat Sakh — the two defence lines for Ratodero. Heavy machinery and workforce have been moved to the area. PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) chairperson Ghinwa Bhutto, along with her son Zulfikar Junior, visited Janat Shakh, Akil-Agani loop embankment and Shahdadkot on Saturday. She called for expediting rescue work.

DADU Five 60-foot wide breaches occurred at three points in Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain in Johi taluka of Dadu, inundating a large number of villages. A final warning was issued on Saturday telling people to leave their homes.

The water released from one of the five breaches in MNV drain between Kamal Kham Mori and Chhapar Khan Jamali village was heading towards Johi town and is 10km away. The residents of the town and its surrounding areas have started shifting to mountain areas of the Khirthar range and other safer places.

Mehar taluka is also under threat because of two 40-foot wide breaches at MNV drain between Seelara and Mado villages which have inundated about 100 villages. The water released from a breach in Tori bund has entered Mehar, putting pressure on Dhamraho Wah.

The local administration and irrigation officials in the presence of PPP leaders made three artificial cuts (breaches) at Garhi Mori to save Mehar town and divert the floodwater towards Supro embankment.

Chhapar Khan Jamali, a former union council nazim, said that three breaches had occurred in Chhapar Khan Jamali village, inundating 30 villages of three union councils and the water was gushing towards Johi town.

People complained that the local administration was not providing transport to shift stranded people to safe areas. Dodo Gadehi, a tractor driver, said that before the flood in MNV drain he was charging Rs4,000 to shift people from Johi to Wahi Pandhi, but now charging Rs35,000.

Four breaches in MNV drain in taluka Khairpur Nathan Shah have inundated over 50 villages.

He said the water of Hamal lake had been released into the MNV drain. The water was diverted from three sources, he said, adding that the flow would be released into Manchhar lake. The level of water in the lake reached 111.9RL and this in Indus at Dadu-Moro bridge reached 131RL.