KARACHI - The Sindh government on Friday cancelled holidays of the employees of various departments and declared a high alert to save people from flooding as about 800,000 to 900,000 cusecs of flood water, coming from upcountry, is likely to pass through down-stream Guddu Barrage in Sindh in the first week of August. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah also ordered the departments concerned to take precautionary measures for safety of people from flooding. Following the torrential rains and flood situation, the Sindh government issued circular, cancelling holidays of all the government employee-s including of the Irrigation, Health, Revenue, Police, Relief, Civil Defence, Education, Livestock, Transport and Prisons departments. The CM ordered that all the employees should report to their departments concerned and make themselves available on duty to serve the people during this difficult time of anticipated flood situation in Sindh. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had already ordered the authorities concerned to remain alert in view of flood water, approaching Sindh within the next four days likely on August 4 or 5. He directed the officials concerned to take all precautionary measures to ensure safety of people living along the coastline. Qaim also issued instructions for preparing a comprehensive plan to avoid collateral damage in natural disasters and activating district disaster management institutions. Meanwhile, sources in the Irrigation Department told The Nation that water flow in Indus at Chashma Barrage had been gauged at 914,000 cusecs on Friday, which was likely to rise further in the next couple of days. Keeping in view the rising flow in the Indus at Chashma, it is likely that a flow of flood water of around 800,000 to 900,-000 cusecs will pass through down-stream Guddu Barrage on August 4 or 5. The flow at up-stream Chashma is on the rise and it is expected that it may further increase when passes downstream in Sindh, the officials said. An official of the Irrigation Department pointed out that water release from Chashma would take four or five days to reach Guddu Barrage. So it is expected that around 800,000 to 900,000 cusecs of flood water will reach Sindh in the first week of August, he maintained. Meanwhile, Sindh Irrigation and Power Secretary Shuja Junejo said that more than a hundred points on the bank of Indus River had been declared most sensitive. The officials of the Irrigation department have been put on alert to keep a vigil and cope with any emergency along the banks of the Indus. According to the Sindh Irrigation Department, Indus River banks have the capacity to withstand at least 700,000 cusecs of water, but 900,000 cusecs of flood water which is fast approaching Guddu Barrage, could wreak havoc in the Katcha area of the province. The Sindh CM has already directed concrete measures to evacuate people from Katcha areas, along the bank of Indus River, to avert any loss if any contingency arises. Meanwhile, on the Sindh Chief Ministers instructions, the provincial government has sent 10 boats to Khyber Pak-htunkhwa to take part in relief operation in the flood-hit areas.