Evacuation orders issued to Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro and Dero

Authorities have issued orders to the residents of Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro and Daro to evacuate as breach in Thattas Surjani Bund near Kot Aalimon widens over 150 feet posing serious threat of submersion. Erosion in Surjani Bund flooded Daro, Bailu and some areas of Sajawal while the flood wave is roaring towards other areas. Meanwhile, thousands of people marooned after a breach in Kirthar Canal caused floodwater to sweep away Ratodero-Jacobabad linking bridge. Exceptionally high flood is recorded at Kotri Barrage whereas seepage started in Hajipur Bund, Kotri protective bund and Malakatiar Bund. Around 50 villages have been submerged due to breach at Shairanpur in Kirthar Canal. Larkana district administration assured that the graves of Bhutto family are safe and immune to inundation. Authorities were also battling Thursday to save the city of Shahdadkot from surging waters after most of its 100,000 residents had been moved to safety. Rescuers safely evacuated 90 per cent of people from the nearby flooded town of Qubo Saeed Khan. However, efforts were being made to rescue thousands of others stranded in at least 25 villages surrounding the town. In Kotri, a western suburb of Hyderabad, the river had swollen from its normal width of 200 to 300 metres to almost 3.5 kms. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from flood-threatened areas close to Hyderabad, on the lower reaches of the Indus, where more than 40 nearby villages have been swept away. Officials warned yet more Pakistanis could be affected in the fertile southern plains of Sindh, which face the risk of further flooding in the next few days as the major Indus river threatens to burst its banks. In Kotri, a western suburb of Hyderabad, the river had swollen from its normal width of 200 to 300 metres to almost 3.5 kilometres, according to a local army spokesman. At least 56 villages have been inundated along with crops of banana, sugarcane, paddy, watermelon, sunflower and cotton over hundreds o acres and the newly rehabilitated Panhwar forest and other small forests.At least three brick kilns were also under water. A large number of vans, bullock carts, donkey carts and camels loaded with people and household items were seen moving from the flooded areas towards safe places. Belo, a town of over 15,000 people along the left bank of the Indus, was deserted.