KARACHI, Aug 30: Personnel of the Pakistan Army working on a war-footing repaired and strengthened the Faqir Goth embankments (in Thatta district) which had developed a wide breach amid mounting pressure of flood water passing through the River Indus and its tributaries.

The army troops deployed along the Indus River in Thatta district also repaired the Monarki Bund under the supervision of a corps of engineers assisted by Sindh irrigation department staff.

According to an ISPR (Army) press release, efforts are under way to repair the Tori Bund breach and prevent the entire Indus Highway from getting affected by floodwater and ensure a smooth flow of vehicular traffic to facilitate safe movement of displaced families.

Corps Commander Lt-Gen Shahid Iqbal inspected the breach sites.

The army was also continuing relief and rescue operations in Qambar-Shadadkot, Kashmore and Dadu areas, it said, adding that people living in relief camps across the province were being provided with cooked meals. The army personnel were looking after 57,000 flood-hit people, it said.

Food grain and other edibles as well as other relief goods were being distributed among flood survivors stranded in the marooned areas of Sindh, the ISPR release said, adding that the Army Medical Corps was had already provided health care facilities to more than 12,000 flood-hit people in its continuing operation.

The army helicopters were engaged in rescue and relief operations transporting marooned people to safe places and dropping relief goods for marooned people. So far, 13,000 kilogrammes of food and edibles had been airdropped in the Shahdadkot and Kandhkot areas alone, the ISPR release said.

PN relief work

Commander Karachi Rear Admiral Khawar Ali on Monday visited flood-affected areas of Sindh to assess the situation.

Pakistan Navy search and rescue teams are continuing their rescue and relief missions in these areas with the help of a hovercraft, helicopters and boats, besides other machinery and equipment.

An ISPR (Navy) release said on Monday that 2,300 more people were rescued by PN teams in different areas of Sindh during the last 24 hours. It said that they provided health care facilities to 1,150 patients during the operation.

It said that the PN rescued 850 people in Qambar-Shahdadkot, 450 in Jacobabad and 200 in Dadu district.

PN hovercraft operating in Sujawal evacuated 830 people to safe places, it said.

PN relief camps established in Sukkur, Khairpur, Thatta and Jamshoro were working at their full capacity. Dry ration and relief goods were being distributed among flood survivors at relief camps across Sindh. Three trucks carrying 37,000 kilograms of relief goods for distribution among flood-hit people arrived in Thatta on Monday, the ISPR release said.