Govt plans more breaches in Manchar Lake as water level continues to rise

JAMSHORO: Despite a breach made in Manchar Lake, water levels in the country’s largest freshwater lake remain at danger level on Monday with the local authorities preparing to make two more breaches to the embankment to reduce water pressure, ARY News reported.

A dyke of Manchhar was breached on Sunday in order to save densely populated areas of Sehwan and Bhan Saeedabad from being flooded.

Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner (DC) Fariduddin Mustafa on Monday hinted at more breaches in the lake as the water level has yet to recede due to the continuous deluge from Balochistan.

The Jamshoro deputy commissioner has appealed to local people to evacuate the areas that are likely to be affected in wake of more cuts to the freshwater lake.

Fariduddin Mustafa told media that 25 boats had been arranged for evacuations from areas at risk, from where several families and individuals had already been evacuated.

 CUT ADMINISTERED TO MANCHHAR LAKE TO SAVE DADU AND SEHWAN

Officials in the irrigation department said that the water level in the lake was last recorded at 25 feet.

However, the first breach, made at RD-14 point near Bagh-e-Yousuf, was expected to flood at least five union councils (UCs) of Dadu — Jaffarabad, Cha­nna, Arazi, Bubak and Wahur.

Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said about 100,000 people would be displaced by the rupture of Manchar Lake, but that more populated areas would be prevented from flooding.

Floodwater poses drowning threat to Dadu

Floodwater in Main Nara Valley (MNV) Drain has surged to pose threat to Dadu and other cities and towns in district.

The water flowing over the link bridge of Phulji, the people of the town have been advised to evacuate their families to safer places.

An upsurge in the floodwater posing a serious threat of flooding in Dadu, Mehar and Juhi, sources said. The water exerting pressure over ring dykes of Mehar and Johi with serious threat of drowning of Johi town, sources said.

In view of the serious situation, SHO Johi police has appealed to the people to come out of the hotels immediately to join hands to save the city from flooding. “I will be forced to close hotels if you people do not reach to the city’s ring embankment,” he warned to people.

Kotri Barrage in high flood

The latest data from the irrigation department showed that the Indus was witnessing medium flood at Sukkur and high flood at Kotri barrage. At 8pm, Kotri barrage witnessed another increase in upstream flows.

Kotri upstream discharge was recorded at 603,327 cusecs and 584272 cusecs downstream, recording a rise of 15,560 cusecs in the last 24 hours.

Death toll tops 1300

Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in Pakistan’s northern mountains have brought floods that have killed 1,314 people since June 14, with 24 deaths reported over the past 24 hours, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Unprecedented floods since June have already left almost a third of the country underwater.

Sindh province, with a population of 50 million, was hardest hit, getting 464% more rain than the 30-year average.

According to initial government estimates, the devastation has caused $10 billion (€10 billion) in damage but officials fear the final bill will be much higher.