Flash floods wreak havoc in 50 villages of Khairpur

Ag APP

By Our correspondent

SUKKUR/QUETTA: Torrential rains in Nara mountains of Khairpur Friday caused flash floods in Taluka Kot Diji of Khairpur, inundating as many as 50 villages and seriously damaging cotton and fruit crops.

Reports said that land communication of many villages with Khairpur city was cut off, prompting the Rangers and police to rush to the rescue of marooned citizens.

Rains also inundated the low-lying Katcha areas in Khairpur, Sukkur, Khairpur Nathan Shah and other cities. The district administrations declared flood in the low-lying areas and advised the residents to shift their livestock and valuables to safer places. In many areas, because of funds shortage, the district administrations failed to rescue the marooned people as well as to drain out the standing rainwater.

Meanwhile, water level at Sukkur and Guddu Barrages increased, prompting the agriculture department to declare an emergency ahead of possible flooding in the Indus River.

Water flow was being monitored at Guddu and Sukkur Barrages. The irrigation department advised dwellers of low-lying areas to migrate to the cities. PPP MNA Nafisa Shah Jillani visited many affected villages and directed the authorities to ensure relief and rehabilitation of the affected villagers.

Meanwhile, relief operation in the flood-stricken areas of Balochistan province is in full swing, said a handout issued by the Directorate of Public Relations. MI-17 helicopters delivered a total of 16,00 kilograms of ration, 250 kilograms of medicines and 300 liters of drinking water to the flood victims in Gajan area of Jhal Magsi district.

A seriously-ill patient with his attendant was transferred to Quetta by helicopter. Jhal Magsi is one of the most affected districts of Balochistan. Lasbela, Khuzdar, and Bolan are also among the worst-hit areas where torrential rains and floods have caused colossal loss to the human settlements, inundating dozens of villages, destroying the road infrastructure and dams.

Over 30 people have lost their lives in rain-related mishaps during the last three days, while the total number of people who died during the monsoon rains is 111.

The provincial government, district administration, PDMA, NDMA, Pak Army and Frontier Corps were engaged in rescue and relief operations in catastrophe-hit districts of the province.

The World Health Organization has also dispatched tents, medicines and other items for the flood victims. However, the scale of calamity is so huge that the relief operation carried out in the flood-hit areas seems insufficient as a large number of people are still waiting to be rescued.

Meanwhile, Chairman PPP and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday expressed grief over the huge loss of life and property due to the unusual heavy rains across the country, particularly in Balochistan, and urged the officials concerned to ensure all possible assistance to the victims.

In a statement issued by the Bilawal House, Bilawal said abnormal monsoon rainfall in different parts of the country, including Balochistan, led to flood-like situations disrupting normal life.

“The rain-affected citizens of Balochistan and other parts of the country will not be left alone in this difficult time,” he vowed.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that providing relief to victims, ensuring rehabilitation of rain-hit areas and combating climate change were among his priorities.

He issued instructions to the party office-bearers and workers to actively participate in the ongoing relief and rescue activities across the country.