At least 14 localities of Bhakkar district were inundated by water overflowing from the River Indus. — Photo by AP
LAYYAH Four people drowned as high flood in the River Indus hit Layyah district after devastating riverine areas of Bhakkar district on Saturday.

At 3pm on Saturday, water discharge from Chashma Barrage was 948,186 cusec. At least 14 localities of Bhakkar district were inundated by water overflowing from the River Indus.

Heavy flood swept away a dyke at Basti Ahmed Shah Wali near Kaloor Kot on Friday night. As a result, dozens of mud houses were washed away in Basti Ahmed Shah Wali, Aahir Wali, Gujranwali, Sagu Janubi, Sagu Nashaib, Mohallah Sharqi and Gharbi and Ruhila Sharki and Gharbi localities. In Darya Khan tehsil, Basti Panj Garaien, Shah Alam, Majuka, Bukhara Nashaib and Bukhara Shumali, Dajil and Dajil Nashaib, Basti Kahawar Nashaib, Basti Shah Wali, Murani and Bait Bogha were hit by the flood.

In Bhakkar tehsil, Basti Bachari, Obaya, Hafiz Wali, Bilal Wali, Rehman Wali, Daggar Noor, Basti Muhammad Wali, Malana and Daggar Qureshi Sharqi were devastated by the flood. Standing crops on thousands of acres were also washed away.

Seven years old Hafiz Ali and five years old Muhammad Umar of Bukhara village died from snake bite. Dajil Bridge linking Bhakkar with Dera Ismail Khan remained closed for traffic on Friday and Saturday.

Bhakkar District Coordination Officer Asif Qureshi said 900,000 cusec water was passing through the district. He said nearly 300 people were staying in four of the 19 relief camps set up by the district administration. He said people living in the camps were being supplied food and medicines.

In Layyah, 750,000 cusec water was passing through the district when this report was filed on Saturday afternoon.

The water flow was expected to reach 800,000 cusec by midnight on Saturday.

In Karor tehsil, Bait Moongarh, Bait Maitla, Bait Rakhwan, Bait Bakhshinda, Mouza Wadhay Wali, Wara Sehrah, Mouza Baseera and Shenh Wala were hit by heavy flood. In Layyah tehsil, Jhok Hassan Khan, Naskani Wala, Basti Serai, Chan, Gurmani, Chandia, Sehmal, Aunal, Mouza Nurasi, Khokhar Wala, Wait Wasawa Sumali and Janoobi, Paharpur Nashaib and Bakhri Ahmad Khan were inundated by floodwater.

Standing crops including cotton, maize, sugarcane, green chili and vegetables were washed away in 12 riverine union councils of the district. Thousands of residents of these areas were moving to safer places on their own along with their livestock.

As the water level started rising after midnight, most people of the affected areas were caught unprepared. The local administration called in army teams, which reached there with 16 motorboats and evacuated the stranded people.

Eighteen years old Adeel was swept away by gushing floodwater in Basti Kanjab on Saturday. His body was retrieved by local divers later. Three more people — Nazir Hussain, Muhammad Azeem and Kabir — drowned on Saturday evening.

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