Breach floods villages, farmland

  • 31/07/2008

  • Dawn (Pakistan)

Three villages and more than 150 acres of agricultural land came under water when a 50-feet wide breach developed in Kandeer Shakh canal at RD-61 near Keenjhar in the Mirpur Mathelo area on Wednesday. Water gushing out of the breach inundated Kajlo Pitafi, Nawab Pitafi, and Qadir Bux Pitafi villages and washed away paddy crop standing on over 150 acres of land. Abdul Ghaffar Pitafi, nazim of Keenjhar union council, told journalists that despite timely information, no irrigation officials turned up to their rescue and added that villagers were trying to plug the breach, but it was not plugged till the filing this report. He said dozens of huts in the affected villages were under water. He said if the water was not drained out immediately, many houses could collapse. Villagers were only able to save their families, but their stock of grain and household items had been washed away, he added.