LARKANA / HYDERABAD: As floodwaters released from breaches in Tori embankment and Begari canal continued a relentless surge towards Shahdadkot on Friday, the administration ordered the evacuation of women, children and the elderly to safe areas.

Qambar-Shahdadkot DCO Ghulam Yaseen Shar told Dawn that a cut had been made in Bhand on Garhi Khairo road to divert the floodwater to the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD-III). Eight more breaches were made on Shahdadkot-Garhi Khairo road, near Umaid Ali Junejo village, on Friday to divert the water to Zero Point through SKT saline drain.

The DCO said that army personnel would start evacuation in Shahdadkot on Saturday. He said the floodwater coming from Garhi Khairo would hit the newly-built ring-embankment around the town the same day.

The motorway between Shahdadkot and Qubo Saeed Khan has been closed to traffic.

A large number of people could not leave Shahdadkot because of a shortage of vehicles and high fares. Qubo Saeed Khan has been evacuated.

Shafqat Wadho, Superintendent Engineer of Saifullah Magsi branch, said the floodwaters coming from Khairthar spread into three directions —Garhi Khairo (which will hit Sujawal town), Shahdadkot and Saifullah Magsi. It will form a strong current of three to six feet before reaching Shahdadkot.

A train carrying more than 2,000 marooned people left Larkana for Karachi late on Thursday night. Over 29,606 displaced people have taken shelter in relief camps in Larkana. The Larkana Hindu Panchayat has accommodated more than 250 families in Dharamshala.
 

KOTRI UNDER TEST

A peak of the first flood wave passed through the Kotri barrage on Friday. The flow upstream was recorded at 734,588 cusecs and downstream 710,313 cusecs.

An official at the Sukkur barrage said the peak flow had crossed the Dadu-Mori bridge and was now passing through Hala division. The peak headed for the Indus delta.

He said the flood wave passing from Matiari district to Kotri upstream, near Hyderabad, was putting pressure on the barrage.

The irrigation authorities expressed the hope that the barrage and embankments would withstand the ferocity of Indus.

In Matiari, a gauge of about 12 feet was submerged at Bhanote bund. People continued to move to safe areas. Two people were killed in flood-related incidents in Matiari..

Courtesy: The DAWN