DERA GHAZI KHAN - Hill torrent from the Suleman Ranges played havoc in the sub-hilly and the plain areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts after the continuous rains in the long mountainous region in the West.
A woman died due to electric shock while an man received injuries after the roof of a hotel collapsed due to heavy rains in the city on Saturday. Allah Wasai, a resident of block 26, was electrocuted and Mohammad Saleem of Jhok Utra was injured in Jampur Road area. He was shifted to District Headquarters Hospital.
The flash flood of the hill torrent also breached Chashma bank canal where the emergency efforts to fill the breach are underway while a number of villages in Rajanpur district are facing flood risk. The officials of the zonal irrigation department claimed that River Indus is flowing with normal discharge and there is no flood.
On Saturday, Dera Ghazi Khan city and the peripheries faced heavy rain that continued for around two hours and it was the first rainy spell of the current season. Rainwater inundated the low-lying areas of the city which includes Shakir Town, Siddiqabad, Mastoi Colony, Fareedabad Colony, Bhutta Colony, Mujahidabad Colony, Qadeerabad Colony, and Shamasabad while the rainwater was standing at Quaid-e-Azam Road, Golai Committee, Sadder Bazar, New College Road Liaqat Bazar, Fareedi Bazar and at Pakistani Chowk.
The Tehsil Municipal Administration failed to manage the disposal and the drainage of the rainwater due to which the shopping ahead of Eidul Fitr remained suspended. Families had to face inconvenience after the accumulated water in the main trade hub of the city. However, the officials claimed that it will drain out till evening for which the efforts are being carried out.
The discharge at Kaha Hill Torrent was recorded 80,230 cusecs and at Chachar Hill Torrent 51,500 cusecs in the West of Rajanpur district while Sanghar Hill Torrent flew with 56,000 cusecs near Taunsa Shareef which was record discharge of the current year so far. Similarly, the discharge at Vidore Hill torrent was 48,000 cusecs and at Vehoa was 55,000 cusecs while at Koura Hill was 67,000 cusecs. The Flood Control Centre has also warned more floods in the hill torrents of both districts while the met office has also forecast rainy spell in the belt around Indus River and the Suleman Ranges.
Due to the ongoing flood, the road contact of the tribal area of Dera Ghazi Khan and most part of Rajanpur district is suspended with rest part of the country paralysing the activities of the life.
It was claimed that Flood Information Centre has been set up at the office of regional police officer Dera Ghazi Khan from where the masses can get exact information about the flood. RPO Akhtar Umar Hiat said that all the four DPOs have been directed to set up control rooms in their respective districts.