Country pushed back many years, says Gilani

Due to breaches in the embankments at Thori and Ghauspur, the flood water entered Shikarpur areas and thousands of homes were inundated in 8 to ten feet water. On the other hand, the safety embankments in katcha areas of Bachal Shah Miani developed a breach, which resulted in increase in water pressure at Bachal Shah Miani embankment.
The affected people of torrential rains and flash flood are living on National Highway with their luggage and livestock due to which the highway has been closed from many sides. The flood water has started leaking from Bachal Shah Miani embankment, which can cause serious threats to Sukkur city, Sukkur Airport and the National Highway. Besides, torrential rains in Sindh have destroyed crops; the rainwater entered the homes and 70,000 people of villages in katcha areas of Ghotki, Kasmore and Larkana.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said it is believed that three districts of Sindh will be affected by the breach, which occurred in a bund on Friday, as a result of which many more areas could submerge in water. He said firstly, the provinces of Khyber-Pakhtonkhwa, Balochistan as well as Gilgit-Baltistan were badly affected by the flood. He said the devastation and losses caused by the flood are irrecoverable and the country has been pushed back many years.
Prime Minister said that 19 districts of Sindh provinces were declared vulnerable to massive destruction due to worst flash flood. He issued directives to the federal and provincial governments to provide every possible aid to affected people. He requested the international community to help Pakistan cope with this natural disaster and to take part in rehabilitation.
Prime Minister said losses being caused by seasonal floods are beyond country's resources, however, government will not leave the flood affected people alone. He said this while talking to the media during his visit to Sukkur Barrage. He said the unprecedented devastation caused by current flood exceeds the destruction wreaked by earthquake in 2005. The PM said all possible resources would be utilised for rehabilitation of flood affectees and they will not be left alone.
The water level at Guddo Barrage is 1.148 million cusecs upstream and the same at the downstream. However, the water level at Sukkur Barrage is 1.150 million cusecs upstream and 1.160 million cusecs downstream. Due to unexpected rise in water level at Guddo and Sukkur barrages, the water pressure at Begari Sindh (BS) Feeder, Ali Wahan, Bachal Shah Miani and Qadirpur embankments increases manifold.
During a brief visit of these embankments, it was observed that due to increase in pressure at Qadirpur loop embankment, the flood water has started leaking beneath the bund. The residents of the area were found busy in plugging the leakage. The area residents also staged a protest demonstration for no provision of relief goods to them and negligence of the irrigation department towards them. The affected people gathered at National Highway with their livestock under the open sky.
Due to breaches in Thori and Ghauspur embankments, the flood water entered many areas of District Shikarpur. The flood water entered the homes and eight to ten feet of water inundated in these districts. During visit of the affected areas people were found crying for help on rooftop of their homes.
As the flood water entered Shikarpur, some parts of the Indus Highway were inundated. The pressure of flood water at BS Feeder also increased manifold. Due to breach in Thori embankments, 250 villages of Shikarpur and Gauspur were inundated.
Earlier, the safety wall in the katcha area of Bachal Shah Miani had developed a breach due to which dozens of villages were flooded with water. Mass scale evacuation was observed in the katcha areas of Bachal Shah Miani. The flood water moved rapidly to Bachal Shah Miani embankment, which according to the area resident, is too weak due to break in the embankment by the villagers for transport.
Before filing of this news story, reports of the leakage of Bachal Shah Miani embankment had been received. The area residents were said to be busy filling the leakage of weak embankment. The area residents claim that if the embankment develops breach, 70,000 people would be affected. Not only this, the flood water can enter Sukkur Airport and National Highway, 1 km ahead of this bund. The pressure of water in Ali Wahan embankment also increased, but it is comparatively low as compared to other reports. There were unconfirmed reports that the government would breach the bund to save the highly populous districts on the right bank of Indus River. But, these reports could not be confirmed.
On the other hand, the affected persons of torrential rains and flooding of katcha areas encroached camps at National Highway and blocked the road for vehicular traffic. National Highway has been found blocked at many points from Sukkur to Ghotki due to encroachment by the affected people. The affected persons along with their luggage and livestock are living on the road at National Highway under open sky.
Torrential rains in many areas have destroyed crops on several thousand acres of land. During the visit the crops of cotton, wheat and sugarcane were found inundated. Three to four feet of water was found stagnant in fields, which has destroyed the crops and create threats of various diseases in crops due to flooding. Addressing a press conference at Sukkur Barrage, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that 19 districts of the Sindh provinces were declared vulnerable to massive destruction due to worst flash flood. He issued directives to the federal and provincial governments to provide every possible aid to affected people.
He said the government has faced loss of billions of rupees due to worst flash flood and invited the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for assessment of losses. He requested the international community to help Pakistan to cope with this natural disaster and to take part in rehabilitation of affected areas. He requested the stranded people to leave their home and shift to camps. He also requested the workers of Pakistan People's Party to help the stranded people during rescue and relief operation. He said Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, Provincial Disaster Management Authority and other relief and rescue agencies, both public and the private, are busy in rescue and relief activities.
Earlier, the prime minister took an aerial view of the embankments. The officials of the irrigation department briefed him about the latest situation of flash flood and all the vulnerable sites or embankments. Later, he also distributed rations among the affected persons of katcha areas at Guddu Barrage. The prime minister was accompanied by Chief Minister of Sindh Qaim Ali Shah, Interior Minister Abdul Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Water and Energy Pervaiz Ashraf and Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Khursheed Ahmed Shah.