HYDERABAD: August 15, 2010. (By Sameer Nazir) The Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage Haroon Memon said that all the vulnerable points declared on the left bank of Indus River were safe and strong enough to sustain the pressure of flash flood heading towards Kotri Barrage. He said that current from vulnerable areas at Bakhri, Mud Mangli, Bhanote, Hala Old and some depressions near Kheyber and Matiari has been diverted towards right, while the water flow at vulnerable point of S.M. Bund 3/2 near Sagyon has started receding. He said that peak flow of flood is passing from Dadu - Moro Bridge with 9,50,000 cusec today and would be passed away to night, as such the left of river is safe from threat of any breach. However, he maintained that the diversion of current don’t mean that we ignore the flood force, we continuously monitoring the situation, carrying out raising and re-strengthening of embankments. He said that large number of dozers, loaders, excavators, tractors, trolleys, stones and other abkalanai material has been made available at each vulnerable point to meet any eventuality. When asked fro the position of Dadu – Moro Bridge from where the flow of flash flood was passing with 9.5 lac cusec, the Superintending Engineer Rohri Canal Babar Affandi said that Dadu – Moro Bridge has sustained the flow of 9.5 lac cusec and now water would started decreasing at this point from to night at any time. He said that there is no dangerous position on this point. Similarly when DCO Dadu Iqbal Memon was contacted, he also expressed his satisfaction and said that he at that time was present on Dadu – Moro Bridge from where water was passing safely. When asked about the position of village Mondar with 5000 population, village Saeedi Moosani with 8000 and village Bhund Mari with 2000 population, the DCO Dadu said that these villages were inside the Katcha areas and population of these villages were being forcibly evacuated with the help of 54 boats. He said that out of 1,05,000 total populations residing in 258 villages in Katcha areas 98% people have been evacuated while remaining being evacuated with force and hopefully their operation would be completed by this night or tomorrow. He said that evacuated people mostly prefer to go their relatives instead of that 30000 people have been shifted to the 144 relief camps established in the district. Meanwhile, the DCO Shaheed Benazirabad Jamal Mustafa Syed talking to this correspondence today, said that at present above 8,00,000 cusec water was passing from the areas of his district safely. He said that Mud Mangly was the main vulnerable point but the engineers declared it safe as current is diverting from embankment. He said that as many as 55 mile of left bank Indus River is passing from Shaheed Benazirabad district, where total population 46000 was residing inside katcha areas. He said that 36000 people have been evacuated till date, while operation has been launched to evacuate remaining people with force. He said that evacuated people mostly prefer to go their relatives rather than to stay in Relief Camps as such till date 1046 people have been accommodated in Relief Camps but now the number of the people was increasing. Similarly, the Federal Minister for Trade and Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim today continued visit of embankment of Indus River passing from Matiari district. Talking to the people on this occasion, he asked the people not to pay heed towards the flood relating rumors but to help the flood fighting agencies. He said that he would stay at Hala with the people till the water is passed safely, said DCO Matiari while talking to this correspondence. He said that strict vigilance at four vulnerable points at 49 mile left embankment passing his district was being made. He said that these all areas including most vulnerable point Bhanote T-Spur were safe. He said that out of 13,000 people under threat, 50% have been evacuated while remaining was being evacuated with force. The apprehensions about the situation at Ghalyan Bund were being floated since yesterday but Sindh Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgri ruled out the impression that Ghalyan Bund was weak and dangerous. He said that all embankments passing from Hyderabad district have been got re-strengthened and safe. He said that all private bunds inside katcha areas have been demolished and now the water was flowing with its natural areas. Similarly, the PD SIDA Ahsan Leghari when asked about the position of Ghaliyan Bund, he said that heavy machinery and man force has been deployed at this area and said that he was in confident that water would pass without any damage as the current is still away from the bund. When asked about the position of bund passing from Qasimabad and Latifabad he said that though these bunds were strong enough to sustain the pressure upto 9,00,000 cusec but simultaneously expressed his apprehension of any mishap due to frequently visit of large number of people on embankments which according to him could either cause mishap or creating difficulties for mobilization of resources and machinery to cope with situation. Meanwhile, the GOC Hyderabad today visited different sites of embankment of Indus River and directed the management of SIDA to further improve and strengthen the weak areas of embankment, as said by DCO Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri. The Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr. Muhammad Farooque Sattar also today visited different areas, while Sindh Minister for Fisheries and Sindh Minister for Special Education today continuously carried out their visits at embankment passing from Qasimabad, Kiran Shoro and Ghalyan Bund near Matiari. Though the peak flood flow still has not passed from the Kotri Barrage but the re-strengthening work at the vulnerable points on left and right banks of Indus River below Kotri Barrage fallen in Thatta district was going on with full swing. The DCO Thatta Manzoor Shaikh said that 193 kilometer right and left embankment of Indus River passing from Thatta district. He said that Surjani, Munarki and Sonda Hilaya bunds were most vulnerable points declared by Irrigation department and added that these all areas have been re-strengthened. In addition to that all required machinery and Abkalani material have been made available to meet any eventuality. He said that as many as one lac population was residing in katcha area, out of which 60,000 people have been evacuated while 40,000 people were being evacuated forcefully. He said that out of 60,000 evacuated people 27,000 people have been shifted to the relief camps while other prefer to go to their relatives. He said that 190 boats were being used for evacuation.