The authorities in Punjab have decided to breach a bridge in order to save two major cities as the raging floodwater continued to sweep village after village, destroy standing crops, uproot people. Amid the widespread devastation, the water level started to recede in Ravi River at Shahdara near Lahore after night-long chaos during which a number of localities were evacuated.

The catastrophic flooding has so far claimed 17 lives, destroyed crops on hundreds of thousands of acres of land which runs into billions along with thousands of mudhouses being swept away and infrastructure decimated.The authorities have decided to blow up a bridge to diver raging water in Chenab River to save Jhang and Chiniot cities.

High flood level was recorded at Trimu Barrage in Jhang where water level was gauged at 120,000 cusecs. A meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary in Lahore has decided to breach Rawaz Bridge in order to save Jhang and Chiniot cities as a big flood wave is heading towards the region.The meeting also decided to deploy additional administrative officers in flood-affected districts.

The meeting also decided to evacuate people from areas along the river belts in Nankana, Sheikhupura and Toba TekSingh and issued directives in this regard.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)