A 50-feet wide breach developed near Daulatpur, in district Nawabshah, submerging hundreds of acres of crops on Monday.
The water gushing from the breach at RD-19 of Malwah branch entered five villages including Umar Rahu and Bachoo Rahu. The water washed away several mud huts in the affected villages.
Standing crops of sugarcane, onion, wheat and banana on hundreds of acres were covered with water, villagers said.
According to the farmers, irrigation department staff were yet to arrive and plug the breach, despite being informed well on time.
They have called on the concerned authorities in an attempt to ensure early repair of the breach as the water is threatening their livelihood.
Canal breaches have become common in Sindh, with the irrigation department usually failing to properly repair and maintain canals and their branches due to bureaucratic hassles, corruption or simply the inattention of the officials towards their responsibilities.
The inability of officials to maintain the vast network of the canals in agro-based interior Sindh results in breaches which damage crops in adjacent areas.
