The threat to Kotri Barrage, which has a designed capacity of 800,000 cusecs to 850,000 cusecs, has increased as the hydrological experts believe that a powerful current of 900,000 cusecs to 950,000 cusecs of 'exceptionally high' flood would pass through the barrage, which has a tendency to wash away the entire structure of the river's barrier.
The River Indus at Kotri Barrage on Friday attained 'very high' flood situation with inflow of 7,12,015 cusecs as the first wave of flood reached the Kotri Barrage. It has been predicted that River Indus at Kotri would attain 'high' to 'exceptionally high' flood on August 25.
Officials in Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told Business Recorder that the water level upstream of Kotri Barrage accidentally rose to 7,12,015 cusecs and the threat to the barrage has increased. It has been predicted that water level in River Indus at Kotri would rise to 900,000 cusecs to 950,000, 'exceptionally high' flood, cusecs during August 24 to August 25, officials added.
They said that District Hyderabad and District Thatta have been declared red zones while Districts Jamshoro, Dadu, Matiyari and Tando Muhammad Khan (TMK) were also put on high alert. The District Co-ordination Officers (DCOs) Hyderabad and Thatta were asked to evacuate the low-lying and the adjoining areas to avoid loss of human life and property, PDMA officials said.
On the other hand, 70 villages of Taluka Garhi Yaseen, situated near Gholu Daru, inundated in flood water as the second wave of super flood was passing through District Shikarpur. Under the auspices of Captain Adnan, Pakistan Army has sent four motorboats in Garhi Yaseen to rescue the stranded people, but the rescuers said that more than 600 people were yet to be rescued.
Sources told Business Recorder that Sindh Minister for Local Bodies Siraj Durani has constructed an illegal 12 feet high embankment around the Garhi Yaseen to save his city. Due to this the flood water had accumulated in katcha area near Garhi Yaseen. Besides, the Pakistan Army team, headed by Brigadier Mirza Khawar Baig, had rescued 10 stranded people from District Jacobabad. Pakistan Army also distributed rations among the stranded people in Jacobabad city.
Earlier, the National Highway (NH) from Rahim Yar Khan to Mirpur Mathelo had been closed for several hours due to flow of flood water at around 80 kilometres of the highway. Thousands of vehicles, both light and heavy, were stuck in the traffic mess for several hours. However, the officials of National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP) claimed that the traffic near Courts Sabzal from Rahim Yar Khan to Mirpur Mathelo was passing through slowly due to water. "Due to passing of the flood water from the highway near Courts Sabzal, the vehicles are moving slowly on both tracks to avoid accidents, which had created a traffic mess at highway, they said, adding that National Highway Authority (NHA) had opened all channels to save the highway."
The residents of Kandh Kot, Ghotki and other areas have started returning to their homes after constant decline in water level at Guddu and Sukkur barrages. Around 10,000 people of these areas returned to their homes safely. Others have also started movement to their areas.
However, the River Indus at Guddu and Sukkur barrage was flowing at 'exceptionally high' flood. The water level upstream of Guddu Barrage receded to 9,2,718 and the downstream was 8,98,121. The upstream at Sukkur Barrage was 9,82,478 and the downstream was 9,45,758.