By M.B. Kalhoro and Qurban Ali Khusik
LARKANA/DADU, July 2: Ten more deaths were reported on Monday from the flood-hit areas of Qambar-Shahdadkot district where 800 villages were submerged and over 100,000 people displaced.
Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has declared the district calamity-hit area.Talking to journalists at the Moenjodaro airport, he said that all-out efforts were being made to rehabilitate the marooned people. He announced an additional grant of Rs2 million for the relief work.
"More funds, if required, will be provided to the district government. Helicopters are arriving today for rescue operations," he added.
Later, the chief minister visited relief camps in Qubo Saeed Khan, the worst-affected area of Qambar-Shahdadkot district, and distributed relief goods among the flood victims.
Qubo Saeed Khan Nazim Mir Aijaz Brohi told Dawn that three union councils - Bagdaro, Hazarowah and Qubo Saeed Khan - had been completely devastated. He said 80 per cent area of Qubo Saeed Khan had been submerged, mud-houses collapsed, properties washed away and 7,000 people were still waiting to be evacuated.
He said that more than 100,000 marooned people had taken shelter on both sides of Motorway.
Migrations from the affected areas to Larkana, Qambar, Shahdadkot, Ratodero and Garhi Khairo have continued. The floodwater coming from Kot Magsi is building pressure on the Safiullah Magsi branch.
Five people were washed away in the water current at Qubo Saeed Khan. A boat capsized near the Shahbazi village while rescuing people. Two bodies were found in the village. One man drowned in the Nozman village, near Gaibidero.
Two bodies were recovered from the Hamzo Buriro village, but it was not confirmed officially.
More than 20,000 marooned people have taken shelter in schools and colleges in Shahdakdot where social and political organisations are providing them food and medical assistance.
Shahdadkot is under threat as the floodwater from breaches of Qubo Shakh and drain is moving the town.
The drain has started overflowing, submerging 15 villages in union council Khabar of Mirokhan taluka.
Qambar-Shahdadkot Nazim Shabir Ahmed Chandio said that more than 20,000 stranded people were waiting to be evacuated to safe places. He said the floodwater had destroyed 300,000 acres of land in the district.
The nazim said that so far 15 breaches had occurred in dyke, Shahdadkot drain and nullahs. He confirmed that three people had died when their boat capsized near the zero point.
According to unconfirmed reports, two people had died in the Din Mohammed Buriro village.
In Dadu, thousands of people of 300 villages in the Kachho belt are stranded as the rescue operation could not be started till Monday evening. The relief operation has stated in some villages along the flood protective (FP) embankment.
Over 100 children have been affected with gastroenteritis and scores of others were infected with waterborne diseases in Bakhshan Mallah village near Bubak.
The chief engineer irrigation, Sukkur Barrage (right bank), Atta Mohammed Soomro, claimed that the water level rose because of inflow of hill torrents from Balochistn has started receding at Chukhi, the entry point of Sindh.
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