Sultan Kot town, Shikarpur villages inundated

SUKKUR The people of Sindh have no respite from floods devastation as raging water of River Indus inundated Sultankot town and more villages of Shikarpur district, and other areas in upper Sindh on Monday. However, flow of flood water of Begari Canal caused breaking of Garang regulator of Khirthar Canal, resulting of inundation of number of villages of Katcha areas of Qambar-Shadadkot district, which was electoral constituency of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, before bifurcation of Larkana into two districts. According to Irrigation Department officials, the floodwater of Begari Canal entered Khirthar Canal, which resulted in overflow of water which caused breaking of its Garang Regulator. The canal water is steadily flooding katcha areas villages of Qamber-Shahdadkot district, officials told The Nation. DCO Qambar-Shahdadkot Yaseen said that residents of all the villages located in Katcha area of Shahdadkot, Qamber and Qubo Saeed Tehsils have been warned to leave their homes for safer places, while district government has also started evacuation of people from areas threatened by floods. Though, the district government declared Qamber and Shahdadkot cities as safe but people are under fear and leaving their homes for safer places. Sindh Minister for Food Mir Nadir Magsi has said that flooding of Khirthar Canal has posed threat of inundation of Shadadkot city which has a poulation of over 0.3 million population. Jameel Ahmed Soomro, Adviser to CM for Information talking to The Nation in Sukkur said that all the villages of Katcha areas in Qamber and Shahdadkot District has been put under flood threat, while government is arranging transport to evacuate the people from danger zone. Meanwhile, Sultankot town of 70,000 population was also inundated on Monday, while Shikarpur was still under flood threat. The cut to Railway track at Lodran, caused flooding of grid station of City, besides more villages of Shikarpur were also flooded. Besides, the 20 foot breach to the embankment of Indus River at Dadu-Moro Bridge, 20 villages including Jaisar village, Ismail, Dargah Seol, Lela Patan and other settlements were also flooded. This reporter visited number of relief camps in Sukkur city, where flood affectees complained of lack of facilities such as medicines, ration and food for children. Currently Sukkur city is hosting about 80,000 affectees, while majority of flood affectees are staying alongside the roads without any tents in open sky. However, UN and other international agencies which are working in flood affected areas of Sindh have showed concern over shortage of tents availability. The UN has also seconded the initial data of flood affectees, compiled by Sindh Government, which showed that 2.2 million people are severely affected and displaced in worse disaster of floodwater, adding, that the number of flood affectees could be increased as every day mighty Indus River raising its affects. The international organisations including WHO, UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) are working jointly in flood affected areas of Sindh, as they showing concerned expressed that break out of water-borne diseases of diahorea, gaestro and skin diseases, which may caused of deaths of children in flood affected areas. UN has said that the ban on cutting bamboo, which used in making of tents, has increased miseries for flood affectees, because currently people were facing shortage of tents. An official, who works with UN in flood affected areas, told The Nation that UN will establish Diahorea treatment centres in flood hit areas. Meanwhile, at least seven persons including a minor girl lost their lives, when their boat overturned in the flood water near Pano Aqil on Monday. The District Administration of Sukkur said that 20 people of katcha village Soomra Panhwari, were on their way to Pano Aqil City on boat, while their boat hit an electric pole and overturned. As a result seven persons were killed, while the remaining people were rescued. The people who died were Sarfaraz Channa, Arshad Mahar, Shahnaz Channa, Shahzore Channa, Zaman Mahar, Zaman Machi and Shahid Mahar.

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