KARACHI: Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has announced that the provincial government is on high alert, warning that as many as 1.6 million people residing in 1,657 villages could be affected if floodwaters from Punjab enter Sindh in the coming days. The minister’s statement comes in response to the devastating floods in Punjab, which have already killed 30 people, affected over 1.5 million, and necessitated the evacuation of 481,000 individuals.
The Sindh government has proactively activated its disaster response machinery to mitigate the potential crisis. Minister Memon detailed that 551 points have been earmarked for relief camps, 192 rescue boats are ready for deployment, and 300 separate camps have been established for livestock. He projected that floodwaters could reach the province between September 2 and 3, potentially impacting 273,000 families across 167 union councils, particularly those in riverine (katcha) areas.
While outlining the scale of preparations, Memon simultaneously sought to reassure the public. He provided current discharge data from key barrages: Guddu is handling 351,000 cusecs (against a 1.2 million cusec capacity), Sukkur 289,000 cusecs (900,000 capacity), and Kotri 251,000 cusecs (600,000 capacity). He stated that these figures indicate “no alarming situation at present” and stressed that if no further heavy rains occur, conditions should remain manageable. He explicitly stated that there is no immediate threat to urban centers and that the situation does not yet require emergency measures like seeking army assistance.
Minister Memon concluded by highlighting the role of climate change, noting that Pakistan is among the most affected countries. He advised against construction within riverbeds to prevent future disasters. The government has committed to transparency, with information on water inflows and outflows at all barrages to be shared with the public every three hours.
