The South Punjab flooding crisis intensified Friday as with Rivers Chenab and Sutlej, which violated dams and immersed dozens of villages. This flood form has required at least 68 lives throughout the province according to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and left the score wounded.
Chenab river water enveloped large parts of Sher Shah in Multan. Flood waves as high as 12 to 14 feet washed away dozens of settlements. Both were called to evacuate stranded families who had rushed to their rooftops to escape the flood.
Displeased residents of the Basti Khoor flooded have set up camp along the Sikandari channel, where many families live outdoors. Tent is limited and livestock and household items are scattered along a mile long stretch near the canal. Rescue and relief teams did not yet reach the site when this report was filed.
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Meanwhile, the Sutlej River swept through dozens of villages in Vehari and Bahawalpur districts. Hundreds of homes, schools and dispensers were destroyed.
In Vehari, the water level at Head Islam was reported to be 102,000 CUSERCS and over 335,000 CuseCs at Head Ganda Singh. Discharge at Head Siphon stood at 93,000 CUSERCS, and at the head Mian Haakim Outfall touched nearly 200,000 CUSERCS. Several protective dams gave away, and Kuttabpur Wagi, Jhoke Fazil, Jhoke Jando, Jhoke Sathu, Kaliya Shah and Hasan Shah villages were completely sunk.
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Similarly in Bahawalpur, Sutlej caused broad destruction with over 90% of protective dams collapsed. The flood water rose to over a 100 villages, as high as 100,000 CUSCS on the Empress Bridge for example.
Emergency Medical Support was rolled out through 26 “Clinic-on-Wheels” devices and a field hospital at Jhangra Sharqi. Campaigns of livestock vaccination were also launched. About 82 schools were transformed into temporary relief.
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The district administration said that about 42,000 people and nearly 25,000 livestock have moved. The floods destroyed housing settlements in addition to thousands of hectares of sugar cane, maize, sesame crops and feed.
According to PDMA, nearly 4,000 Mouzas (land) has been affected over Punjab, leaving almost 3.9 million people affected. Of these, 1.8 million people are evakuaees. Auxiliary agencies have established as many as 416 relief camps, 356 medical camps and 318 veterinary camps. Over 1.3 million livestock has also moved to a safer ground.
The water level also remained high in Kot Mithan and Rojhan in Rajanpur district. At the former, the water level was registered at 490,000 CUSERCS. According to PDMA data, since at least 183 people have died, 646 wounded and 237 houses have been destroyed in monsoon rain and floods over Punjab. As many as 121 cattle have died. District data shows major losses in Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh and Vehari.
