Flood in Sutlej inundates villages, crops

Ag APP

BAHAWALPUR: Flood in Sutlej River inundated several villages and cotton crop standing on hundreds of acres of land in the district.

Reports reaching here suggested that several villages in Mauza Gul Dera, Mari Qasim Shah, Saifan, Khairpur Tamewali, Hasilpur and others have been affected by the floodwater. “Due to water pressure, embankment of the river was broken up at Dera Bakha, some 20km from Bahawalpur city and resultantly, flashflood entered the villages located within the vicinity of the river,” the official sources said. “Traffic on roads was suspended in affected areas. However, no loss of life is reported,” the sources added.

The district management has issued a red alert for population living within the vicinity of the river. The official sources at the Punjab Emergency Service, Rescue 1122, said that the people had been evacuated from Gul Dera, Mari Qasim Shah, Saifan and other areas to safe places after floodwater broke the embankment due to high water pressure and entered the villages.

Deputy Commissioner Shozab Saeed along with officials visited Dera Bakha, Saifan, Ahmedpur Sharqia and other areas and inspected the flood situation. Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that relief camps had been established in several areas and population living within the vicinity of the river had been evacuated.

He said that the district management had been using all available resources to provide relief to the flood affectees. Muhammad Baqir, District Emergency Officer, said that currently Sutlej River was in medium flood.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), over 50,000 cusec water had been flowing through Head Islam, some seven kilometers of Hasipur city. “Water level might be surged at Empress Bridge on Sutlej River in Bahawalpur,” the NDMA official said.

BUREWALA: Flood in Sutlej River inundated dozens of villages and suburbs and crops, including cotton and maize, in the outskirts of Sahuka.

After the flood, Rescue 1122 shifted more than 500 victims to safer places with help of police. The local administration was providing all possible facilities, including health facilities, to the flood affectees at the relief camps.