1,100mm rainfall, 30MAF hill torrents from Balochistan wreaked havoc: Sindh CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his province received unprecedented rains of 1100 mm and on top of it an additional 30 MAF deluge of Balochistan’s hill torrents came down, wreaking havoc in the cities and towns located on the right bank of River Indus and a similar situation emerged on the left bank of the river. Therefore serious humanitarian crisis erupted against which his government is fighting to rescue and rehabilitate the people.

This he said while addressing a crowded press conference here at CM House on Wednesday. He was flanked by Minister Information Sharjeel Inam Memon, Minister Excise Mukesh Chawla, and Special Assistant Syed Qasim Naveed.

Shah said that in order to contain hill torrents FP Bund was erected by six feet after the floods of 2010 but even then, the flood was so frenzied and high that it caused five breaches into the FP Bund and flooded various towns and villages in its way on the right bank.

On the Left of the River Indus major cities like Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and Badin are located. Their water would be discharged into Shakoor Lake and the cities and towns located near River Indus would have to pump their water into it [River]. “But, this will take time, he said and added because the quatum of water was so huge.

Flood Position: Shah said that river position at Guddu and Sukkur barrages was normal, as the high flood was passing through the barrage and discharge was continuously declining. Comparing the discharge at Kotri for the last two days, he said that its flow was 575,435 cusecs upstream and 555,185 downstream which showed a decline of 50,759 cusecs on September 13. Similarly, the Kotri was flowing at 525,696 downstream and 508,981 upstream which has shown a decline of 100,497.

The CM said that the water level at Dadu Moro Bridge was 126.9 RL on September 13 and it came down to 126 RL on Wednesday. Similarly, Manchhar Lake had 122.5 RL on September 13 and it has come down to 122.1 RL. Similarly, Amri Bridge had 108.9 RL on September 13 and it reduced to 108.2 on Wednesday. “Level of Dadu-Moro bridge has reduced by 4.4 feet, Manchhar Lake by 0.8 foot and Amri Bridge at 3.2 feet,” the CM said. Shah also said that Johi Branch has also shown a reduction of water at its RD-67 Khairpur Nathan Shah Road.

Murad Ali Shah shared the details of the current situation of inundation on the right bank of Sukkur Barrage and said the water level has reduced by around two feet at Mehar City Ring Bund and KN Shah Main Drain flowing in MNV and there is a reduction of 2 feet.

He added that the water level has also been reduced by one foot at Ring Bund Bhan Saeedabad – the overall water level is depleting in the upper areas of Taluka Qubo Saeed Khan, Shahdadkot, Kambar, Warah, Nasirabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022