950804

6 fall prey in Buner

PM to visit

flood-hit

areas

ALMAS A KHAN

LAHORE: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will visit Gujranwala besides surveying the flood-hit areas of Narowal and Sialkot districts to ascertain the devastation left by the monsoon rains and inundated rivers.

Tariq Saeed Haroon, D G Chaudhri Muhammad Azam Director, Maj. (Retd) Sajid Mahmood and other high officials of the Punjab Relief Department will accompany the prime minister.

The relief department has given Rs 15 million to the administration of Jhang and Sargodha for disbursement among the flood affected people. This amount was provided by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo to initiate relief operation on war footing in the affected areas, Business Recorder learnt.

Meanwhile, arrangements have been made to meet any enventuality at Sidhnai headworks as the River Ravi was flowing in exceptionally high flood at the point with a water discharge of 125063 cusecs about 5000 cusecs less than its capacity. The surge posed any threat to the Sidhnai headworks, the authorities would either breach the right bank of the River Ravi or use the spill channels to save the headworks. However, the dwellers of the surrounding areas were advised to move to safer places as the breaches could be occurred at any time, said the Flood Commission Director, Syed Azhar Ali Shah while talking to newsmen here on Friday evening.

The River Ravi was flowing in medium flood at Balloki with rising trend showing a discharge of 67240 cusecs while it was in high flood at syphon with a discharge of 69300 cusecs. At other points Ravi was flowing in low flood.

The River Indus was flowing in exceptionally high flood at Guddu and Sukkur regestering a discharge of 956545 and 928622 cusecs respectively while it was in medium flood at Kalabagh and Kotri with a water discharge of 319529 and 437976 cusecs respectively. Indus at other points including Tarbela, Chashma and Taunsa was flowing in low flood with a discharge of 261800, 286321, and 280722 cusecs respectively.

The River Chenab was flowing in very high flood at Panjnad with rising trend showing a discharge of 549799 cusecs while it was flowing in medium flood at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad and Trimmu with a discharge of 126685, 125824, 139515 and 206356 cusecs respectively.