ABDUL RASHEED AZAD
ISLAMABAD: The number of death due to floods in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan climbed to 346, as the National Disaster Management Authority Saturday reported the deaths of 20 more people in Punjab of which 12 are in Faisalabad division and six in Gujranwala division.
According to authority, floods have so far devastated 3,409 villages and 2.5 million acres of cropped area in Punjab, Azad Kashmir, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) forcing thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps.
The death toll in Punjab has reached 269 from 249 on Friday, while floods have claimed the lives of 64 people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 13 in Gilgit-Baltistan, whereas a total 569 people have been injured.
The authority has reported deaths of six more people in Gujranwala division wherein death toll has reached to 89 from 83 persons, in Faisalabad 35 from 23, in Multan 26 from 25 persons, in Bahawalpur division 4 persons from one.
To facilitate the flood affectees the government has set up 122 relief camps in Sindh province, wherein so far some 12,000 people have taken the shelter in relief camps.
Floods have so for affected over 2 million people of which 1.75 million are in Punjab, over 223,000 people in Sindh, over 46,000 in Azad Kashmir and nearly 2,000 persons in GB.
The flooding has damaged as many as 30,512 houses of which 16,974 are in Punjab, 8,893 in Azad Kashmir and 4,845 in Gilgit-Baltistan region. In Punjab over 77,000 people are still residing in relief camps.
Water level is continuously rising in River Indus at Sukkur barrage. A water torrent of 400,000 to 500,000 cusecs is expected to pass through Sukkur Barrage in next 24 hours.
Currently, water inflow at Sukkur Barrage is recorded at 340,792 cusecs while outflow is 252,697 cusecs. Kotri Barrage is receiving 99,854 cusecs while outflow is 56,958 cusecs.
According to Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore, 342,912 cusecs of water is passing through Guddu Barrage and water level is receding, while all other rivers are flowing at normal.
Meanwhile, the district administrations of Thatta and Sujawal have declared emergency on all protective embankments of Indus River in both districts and advised the residents of low lying areas to shift to safer places. All protective dykes are being strengthened and are under strict vigilance of the authorities round the clock.
However, irrigation authorities have declared that there was no imminent danger to river embankments and bunds, as vulnerable points at Soorjani and Monarki bunds in Sujawal district have been strengthened to avert any loss.
On Friday the authorities said that a total 223,000 people have been affected by the floods in Sindh province of which 92,000 people are in Larkana district, 96,000 in Kashmore-Kandkot and 35,000 in Shikarpur.
People from the Kacha area are being shifted to safer places. The authorities have set up 22 relief camps in Larkana District, 40 in Shikarpur and 34 in Kashmore. One thousand tents and two boats for rescue and relief operation have also been given to the authorities in each district.
