The Pakistan Army has not stopped the relief operation directed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Along with the civil administration and private rescue services, the rescue and relief operation in various parts of Sindh’s Dadu district is being carried out. The monsoon spell in the province has breached the flood protection bund of Nai Gaj Dam.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: “Pakistan Army troops are busy in relief and rescue efforts in various areas of Dadu to help the affected by the recent breach of flood protection bund. The Pak Army Troops are providing necessary medical care and meals are being served to affected people.”
Twelve villages of district Dadu have been badly affected due to the flood. Army troops Include; Army Engineer motorboats and Army medical teams. The teams have reached the areas to rescue ISPR said in a statement. The Flood protection bund on Saturday evening was breached with the flood which triggered the surge in at least 200 villages in Johi taluka. Some people were found dead and many spent the night under the open sky.
Four breaches — one major and three minor — resulted in a flood in Dadu district’s Johi taluka. It has affected several hundred people residing in 200 villages. Due to heavy rainfall during the past few days at the catchment area in Balochistan, the bund was overflowed with the water and ended up in a flood.
“People have lost their livestock and the summer cotton crop,” said local journalist. He claimed that all the roads and communication networks in Johi taluka had been affected due to the flood. “We have seen this for the first time”, he said.
A relief operation is launched and food will be supplied to the people. Initially, the food was arranged locally, but the PDMA will try its best to provide food to all those affected. The Water from Nai Gaj Dam will ultimately flow into Manchhar Lake, which happens to be Pakistan’s largest freshwater lake. The lake is located towards the left of the flood protection bund which also gets water from the Indus River.
Senior irrigation officer Mansoor Memon, who is supervising the situation has confirmed that the water level in the lake has increased due to the flooding. “Currently, the lake’s level is 112 feet, after increasing by three more feet,” he said, adding that 114 feet were the safe limit.
Meanwhile, the biggest breach was around 100 feet at RD75, while the remaining three were at RD-40, RD42 and RD50. The chief minister called on the officials from the irrigation department who were responsible for the negligence. They are said to be fortified, he maintained that he had served as the irrigation minister and such arrangements should have been put in place.
He directed officials to provide immediate relief to those affected and directed that they be evacuated as soon as possible.
