Flood inundates hundreds of Multan villages

MULTAN: Hundreds of villages in Multan district have been submerged as the river Chenab gauge showed an unabated rise in the water level on Thursday, slowly reaching near its highest level.

In view of the rising water level in the river Chenab, the administration was prompted to speed up the ongoing evacuation process which is likely to conclude by Thursday evening.

ADC Focal Person District Flood Control Cell Ali Annan Qamar said that 25 relief camps were functioning to provide shelter, food and other facilities to the affected people.



The district administration was providing food hampers and mineral water to the affected people.

He said that a majority of the people had been evacuated from the riverine and low-lying areas of Multan district with the help of Pakistan Army Jawans, personnel of Rescue 1122, the police and staff from other departments.

He, however, added that some people were still stranded but hoped their evacuation to safer places would be completed on Friday.

Meanwhile, the flood level has reached just 6.5 points below the highest level at the Muhammadwala headworks.

The water level is just 3.6 points below the highest level at Sher Shah Bridge, Irrigation Department officials said.

They said that the flood from the Trimmu headworks was expected to reach Multan on Friday.

They added that the floodwaters in the Chenab river had reached 411.90 feet at Muhammadwala headworks and the highest level was 417.50 ft.

“If the water reaches the highest level, two security dykes might be breached at Muhammadwala headworks and Duaba dyke in Muzaffargarh,” they said, adding that the high level of 600,000 cusecs of water might persist for the next 24-48 hours with a likely peak discharge of 800,000 cusecs by Friday.

They feared that major areas of Multan, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Jhangand Toba Tek Singh were likely to be inundated.

The barrages report indicated that high flood had been observed in the River Ravi at Balloki and 592,000 cusecs of water was flowing from Trimu Headworks, 131,546 cusecs from Punjnad Headworks and 37,551 cusecs from Sidhnai Headworks on Thursday afternoon.

Floodwater, after leaving a trail of devastation in upper and central Punjab, is passing through southern Punjab.

Around 100 villages in Multan have been evacuated by the authorities. These areas include Band Bosan, Nawabpur, Muhammadwala Headworks, Basti Garewal, Basti Langrial and Sher Shah.

Over 100 villages have been roughly estimated to inundate across the River Chenab in Multan and Muzaffargarh.

Meanwhile, explosives have been planted in the dykes of Shershah, Garay Wahan in Multan and Doaba in Muzaffargarh to save Multan city and Chenab Bridge from what authorities called ‘total collapse’.


Suffocation has increased in the flood-hit areas and people are feeling difficulty in breathing. The next areas at risk are Multan, Khanewal and Toba Tek Singh.

The rescuers are using boats and helicopters to drop food for the stranded families and evacuate the victims.

Over 10,000 people of flood-hit areas have taken refuge on the railway track between Multan’s Chenab Bridge and Muzaffargarh city and they are lying in the open without tents, food and water.


On the other hand, the administration is repairing all the dykes and the Multan commissioner is supervising the work. However, there are no satisfactory arrangements to provide food, medicines, drinking water, tents and other essential items to the flood victims.

Many people have taken refuge on dykes or railway track. They used tractors to escape the rising water, carrying ropes, beds and blankets.


Meanwhile, Flood Forecasting Division has issued the super flood warning in Sindh as the water level is rising in Guddu Barrage with 2,3000 cusecs discharge.

According to officials of the Flood Forecasting Division, the water level at Sukkur Barrage was recorded at 85 thousands and 500 cusecs on Thursday.

According to Flood Forecasting Division, peak flood wave is expected to pass through Guddu Barrage on September 15 to 16.

In Kahsmore, Kandhkot and Ghotki the district administrations have been put on high alert in view of expected flood situation in the River Indus. The district administrations have already received the directives from the Sindh CM to evacuate the katcha (riverbed) communities cautioning them to establish the relief camps at some distance from the embankments thereby allowing the irrigation officials to work without any hindrance.

However the district administrations of Sukkur, Jacobabad, Shikarpur Kashmore, Kandhkot and Ghotki districts have directed the authorities concerned to start evacuation of the people on emergency basis from the Katcha area of Guddu and Sukkur Barrages to safer places.

According to Commissioner Sukkur Muhammad Abbas Baloch the government has made full preparations with the support of Army, Navy and Air Force to face the challenges of coming flood in the regions.

Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage Ahmed Junaid Memon said that more than 150,000 katcha residents from Khairpur, Kingri, Gambat and Sobho Dero talukas would be affected by the flood.

He said that the law and order situation prevented the irrigation officials from patrolling the embankments freely and request has been made for the establishment of police pickets for their protection.

Meanwhile, Rescue operation is in progress in the riverine and low-lying areas of the district Multan as Rescue 1122 has rescued about 3,000 flood-hit people so far. According to spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Abdul Jabbar, the rescue operation was going on at Muhammadpur, Ghota Basti, Langrial, Muhammadwala Bridge and other areas to evacuate people from the riverine areas.

He said 48 boats including 14 of Rescue 1122 were being used to shift people from flood-hit areas to safer places. He said two teams of Rescue 1122 were busy in tehsil Shujabad and two in tehsil Jalalpur Pir Wala.