DADU: Floodwater on Tuesday inundated more than 150 villages in Dadu and Jamshoro districts and another 100 or so in Sukkur, Khairpur, Larkana and Ghotki districts besides destroying standing crops over thousands of acres as Indus River level rose to the state of medium flood.

The affected villages and lands of Dadu and Jamshoro districts are situated within the Kachho belt where people had positively responded to a flood alert sounded by the respective district administrations last week.

People of the areas were advise to move to safe places before arrival of floodwater.

The flood-hit areas include Sona Bindi, Nau Goth, Dodo Kalhoro, Deenpur, KT Jatoi, Naon Dero, Pur­anu Dero, Moundar, Jhallu, Amn­i­ani, KT Lalia, Sann, Manj­hand, Budhapur and Unarpur.

Reports from the areas suggested that families along with their households, valuables and animals were moving to safe places in large numbers from scores of other villages vulnerable to inundation in the days to come.

Dadu Deputy Commissioner Raja Shahzaman Khuhro on Tues­day visited the LS (Larkana-Seh­wan) protective bund and Moun­dar and issued necessary directives to irrigation officials. He told them to set up watch towers and organise regular patrolling in the areas.

He also asked the local revenue officials to help people shift to safe places.

Irrigation Superintendent of Dadu southern division Sajid Ali Bhutto said the LS Bund was only point vulnerable point in Sehwan taluka.

Irrigation Secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo also visited certain vulnerable points along the Indus embankments in Jamshoro and directed irrigation officials to take appropriate measures on an emergency basis.

Stone dumping, pitching and widening of dykes was immediately started along the Indus course around the Kotri barrage area.

Mr Mangnejo said that strict monitoring was under way to avert flood devastation.

Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Fareeduddin Mustafa visited Indus embankments downstream and upstream Kotri Bar­rage and watched patrolling by irrigation officials.

PPI adds: Over 100 villages in Suk­kur, Larkana, Ghotki and Khairpur districts were inundated by floodwater on Tuesday. Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Tuesday recorded water level in the river at Guddu at 422,653 cusecs, Taunsa at 342,978 cusecs, Sukkur at 360,125 cusecs and Kotri at 185,015 cusecs.

It noted that the Indus at Guddu was in medium flood but at Taunsa and Sukkur it was in low flood.

Qadir Bakhsh Khuhro, a resident of Dilawar Khuhro village situated within Gambat taluka of Khairpur district, said standing cotton and sugar cane crops as well as vegetables grown over thousands of acres in this district had been washed away.

Most villagers living along Indus embankments in Khairpur district have already moved to safe places.

However, a majority of those living along both sides of the river in upper areas appeared reluctant to move out despite flood alerts iss­u­ed by the district administrations concerned.

Nearly 50 villages within Khair­pur district have been submerged while many others evacuated for fear of flood.

As many villages and thousands of acres of farmland in Larkana, Ghotki and Sukkur district have been hit by floodwater.

Residents of the areas located along the Indus course believe that a big deluge is likely to pass through the Indus within the next 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019