As a result of torrential monsoon rains over the last few days, a breach developed in the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), the largest saline nullah of Asia, on Monday, which widened to 200 feet and flooded more than 100 villages in Badin district.
Overflowing and reverse flow in the LBOD could cause more breaches and flooding, a private TV channel reported. The breach has already flooded Mangrio and Malkani, where people have sought refuge on high rocks and roofs of government school buildings. Floodwater inundated a grid station in Pangrio as well.
BREACH UNPLUGGED: The authorities concerned have yet to plug the breaches that have flooded a vast area and washed away standing crops on hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land. A large number of people are still marooned in remote coastal villages of Badin, with no road link to safer areas. So far thousands of people have been rescued and shifted to relief camps by Pakistan Army and Navy personnel. An estimated 300,000 people have been displaced by the floods across Badin.
Pakistan Army has launched full scale rescue services after establishing an aid centre in Badin and a rescue camp in the Shadi Larj area, where it is trying to provide all possible aid to the displaced people. The district administration claims that more than 90,000 flood victims have been shifted to relief camps. Some 200,000 people have fled Mehrab Chandio, Mukhtar Arain, Mooso, Mataro, Aaarib Halipoto and Ahmadani to higher ground, leaving all or most of their possessions behind.
KASUR AT RISK: After India’s spilling of water into the Satluj River, floods are expected in the Kasur area of Punjab as well and local residents are moving towards safer places. The district administration of Kasur has cancelled all workers’ leaves and set up flood relief camps in various areas. The Kasur District administration had held an emergency meeting headed by the district coordination officer (DCO) on Sunday afternoon after receiving information that 50,000 to 70,000 cusecs of water would be released from the Indian Bhagra Dam within the next 24 hours, most probably on Monday night. Villages near the river were evacuated as the district administration put out a red alert, warning them of low floods expected late on Sunday night. Kasur DCO Irshad Hussain Shah told Pakistan Today that the administration would complete all arrangements on Sunday night and officials of police, Revenue and Irrigation Departments were prepared to meet any situation.
Meanwhile, the Met Office predicted more rainfall in most parts of the country for another two to three days. BATON CHARGE: In Tando Mohammad Khan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited Badin flood victims on Monday and issued orders for an immediate response to the flood-hit areas of Sindh and assured payment of compensation after damage assessment. As soon as the premier left, however, the scene turned chaotic as flood victims fought over an inadequate amount of relief goods. Police had to baton charge the people to bring the situation under control. Some flood victims sustained injuries while others had to run away empty-handed in order to escape the baton charge.
Flood displaces over 300,000 in 100 villages of district Badin
