HYDERABAD / THATTA Tando Hafiz Shah, a small town in kutcha area of Thatta which comprises 1,600 huts and a population of 5,000, was submerged by the Indus waters on Saturday. Sadiq Ali Memon, an MPA of the People's Party, and Thatta DCO Manzoor Ali Shaikh told Dawn that the administration had already evacuated hundreds of people from the town. They said over 12 villages had been inundated and efforts were being made to evacuate people stranded in Keti Khoso village.
About 2,000 people were evacuated by army personnel from seven villages in Mirani district on Saturday. However, over 20,000 people refused to shift to other places despite repeated warnings.
At the Kotri barrage, the flow upstream was recorded at 799,204 cusecs and downstream at 774,999 on Saturday night, buffeting the barrage relentlessly.
Irrigation officials said the Indus remained steady at different locations and it appeared to have set its course. An eight-year-old boy died of gastroenteritis in Saeedabad.
A desperate man tied his two daughters to a tree in protest against non-provision of food. However, Minister of State for Religious Affairs Shagufta Jumani rushed to the area and got the girls freed. She also got opened some schools and shifted some families there.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah visited Hyderabad and was briefed on the flood situation by provincial ministers Zahid Ali Bhurgari and Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi.
