LAHORE: Thousands of people from more villages of Taunsa and Layyah had to leave their homes to find safer places on Tuesday due to medium level flood in the Sindh river.
The people had to leave different villages in Taunsa, including Mauza Moor Jhangi, Bait Kachhela, Panj Darain, Bait Channar, Bait Ashraf, Jarh Leghari and Mouza Baloch Khan.
In Layyah, the people were evacuated from Mouza Lohaj, Thori, Samra Jhok Khan, Basti Kanjo Mohana, Darkhan Khokhar, Panwar, Alliyani Basti, and Rakhwan. A double-storey police check post built in Rakhwan was also submerged completely by floodwater and all its structure demolished. A high school in Basti Alliyani also submerged by water and cracks appeared in its building.
In Karor Lal Esan, Bait Mongar was also flooded and all its houses and mosque were also destroyed. The floodwater entered cultivated lands, making it a part of the river in Layyah and Karor Lal Esan.
In Dera Ghazi Khan, several villages were submerged by floodwater including Jhok Utra, Kot Chuta, Malkani Kalan.
DG Khan residents protest turning of river for new Layyah-Taunsa Bridge
The residents of the area protested against poor management of a bund built to turn the river to construct Layyah-Taunsa Bridge. They said that the river had changed its way and started flowing in another direction, engulfing thousands of agriculture land where different crops, including cotton, were destroyed by the medium level flood.
“A high level flood in the past would easily pass from Layyah but the poor design of the newly-constructed Layyah-Taunsa bridge changed the flow of the river and it started flooding old localities and villages. Thousands of acres of crops also come under water in both districts,” the locals said.
The crack emerged in the bank of the river to protect the Layyah-Taunsa Bridge also could not be filled after two days due to poor management of the authorities.
A resident of Layyah Khurrum Khar told Dawn that out of their 450 acres, only 175 acres was left dry and all their land had been swallowed up by the Sindh river.
He also said the government had changed the way of the river to construct the Layyah-Taunsa Bridge and it resulted in catastrophe for their land.
“We only can demand the government to fix the problem otherwise we would become landless and the river will also swallow our villages permanently,” the man decried.
Earlier, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a flood alert for several regions as the province braces for rising water levels in major rivers and urban flooding due to more heavy monsoon rains.
According to the Pakistan Met Department (PMD), scattered to widespread thunderstorms with isolated heavy falls are expected over the upper catchments of the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, and Ravi rivers, as well as in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and Lahore divisions over the next 48 hours.
The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) has reported that the Indus river is currently at medium flood level at Guddu, while low flood conditions persist at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa, and Sukkur.
Meanwhile, the Jhelum and Chenab rivers are experiencing low to medium-level flows and more flow is expected due to an incoming weather system from July 30 to 31. The FFD also warned of moderate flooding in the nullahs of the Ravi river and tributaries of the Kabul river, with increased flows expected in the Sutlej river at Ganda Singhwala after 24 hours. Urban flooding is likely in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore.
PDMA Punjab issued alerts to commissioners and deputy commissioners of multiple divisions, including Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur.
Relief Commissioner Punjab Nabeel Javed directed officials to remain vigilant and ensure all precautionary measures are in place.
PDMA DG Irfan Ali Kathia emphasized the need for advanced preparations, including the activation of emergency control rooms and disaster response teams.
He urged the public to cooperate with administration efforts, particularly in evacuation procedures for riverside settlements and livestock.
Reservoir levels remain under watch, with Tarbela Dam at 87.08% live storage and Mangla Dam at 57.36%. Historical data indicates the potential for significant peaks, though current forecasts suggest manageable conditions.
The Punjab government has assured citizens of comprehensive support, including food, clean water, and medical aid at relief camps.
