Extraordinary 1100mm rainfall lashed Sindh in this monsoon, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has stated while pointing to the gravity of the calamitous weather that wreaked havoc in the province.
“According to estimates around 30 million-acre-feet water entered in the province,” he said. “Now the seventh spell of monsoon has started”.
“Indus River while passing through Sindh divides the province in two parts and there is water on both sides of the river,” CM Shah said.
“Presently seven to eight million-acre-feet water standing in Kashmore, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Larkana and Jamshoro,” he said. “We will drain out this water to the river, which will pass through the Manchhar Lake,” he said. “This all water will pass through the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) to discharge in the sea,” Shah said.
Sindh’s chief minister said that Punjab has received 52 percent more rainfall in this season, while Sindh has got 800 percent more rainfall than average.
“This or that Wadera is taking decisions, it is misgiving,” he said. “All decisions being made by the irrigation department, “if someone wants to talk with me over it, he is welcome, I will answer it,” Murad Ali Shah said.
He said that the water level at Dadu-Moro Bridge has dropped by one foot between yesterday morning and today. “We would have faced more difficulties if the water of the river kept at the upstream,” he said. “We have opened some canals of Sukkur Barrage in a controlled manner,” he said. “Some canals of Guddu Barrage have also been opened.”
“We could not shut the mouth of someone. Anyone tell me, where we have deliberately gone wrong. Not a single person can raise finger on the Sindh government,” he said. “No expert has pointed out that the government did this or that mistake. The government has taken decision in 2022 flood with consultation of the irrigation department,” Shah said.
“We are also working to restore the railway track along with the federal government”.
“We are trying utmost to avoid drowning of a new area, the water level is coming down and praying for no more rains,” he added.
Talking on the relief effort Murad Ali Shah said that the PDMA has delivered 1,75,933 tents, while NDMA has provided 10,853 tents for flood relief. The NDMA has also distributed 21,363 tents, while the Navy has distributed 2586 tents, Sindh chief minister said.
“Total 2,16,000 tents were distributed in the province till yesterday,” he added.