SUKKUR: There is no threat of high flood in the Indus at Guddu or Sukkur barrages until July 26 as the discharge at both the installations will not exceed their respective projected capacities.

This was stated by Abdul Aziz Soomro, the official in charge of the Sukkur barrage control room and an irrigation expert, on Wednesday evening.

Quoting latest reading, he said the Guddu barrage upsteam discharge was 357,000 cusecs and downstream 325,000 cusecs which expectedly increase to 500,000 cusecs at both the barrages on July 24 and 26, respectively. The projected discharge capacity of the two barrages is 900,000 cusecs.

Mr Soomro, however, pointed out that the water level in the Indus was rising with each passing day. The discharge at Kotri barrage at the moment is 97,000 cusecs upstream and 50,000 cusecs downstream.

Review meeting

Meanwhile, Sukkur deputy commissioner Shahzad Fazal Abbasi chairing a high-level meeting held in his office on Wednesday reviewed the arrangements made so far to cope with any eventuality arising out of flooding in the vulnerable areas of the district.

He noted that 50,000 to 60,000 people of the kutcha areas of New Sukkur, Rohri and Pannu Aqil talukas had been advised to move to safe places.The meeting was attended by Major Ayaz of the army, Sukkur barrage executive engineer Fayaz Hussain Shah, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sukkur-II Moham­med Ayub Chachar, assistant commissioners, officials of the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC) and other departments concerned.

Ghotki Deputy Commissioner Tahir Watoo also held a similar meeting in his office at Mirpur Mathelo and was informed that relief camps had been set up at Ali Wahan, Soomra-Panhwari and Baiji protective bunds.

People along with their cattle head were being shifted from their kutcha area villages to the camps while the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had been urged to ensure availability of life-saving jackets, motorboats, generators, tents and other essential goods at the camps, the meeting was told.

Mr Watto said there was no threat to Ghotki from possible flood but all necessary arrangements had been made to cope with any emergency situation. A round-the- clock monitoring of protective bunds was under way, he said.

He advised people of Ghotki district to approach the flood emergency control room set up at the DC Complex by dialling 0723-651248 or 0723-661762 for any assistance relating to rain, flood or relief work.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play