WB experts observed that flash floods originated in Balochistan and caused havoc on the right bank of Indus River in Sindh in 2022
Rehan Khan Khushik
Fareedabad, Dadu, Sindh
The World Bank Support Mission has called for better coping with future climate change threats of floods and droughts in the parts of country with a top priority.
The WB experts, who were on a weeklong visit in the far-flung areas of Sindh, said here on Thursday that Pakistan is facing hard climate change-induced disasters including floods, droughts and heat-waves and Sindh province is worst-hit.
WB experts further said that during 2022 the flash floods originated in Balochistan and caused havoc on the right bank of Indus River in Sindh, mainly three districts – Dadu, Qambar Shahdad Kot and Jamshoro.
The WB Support Mission is led by Task Team leader Ahsan Tehsin for Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project and includes the members Tiziana Smith, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Mishka Zaman, Sana Ahmed, Farha Yaminn Khan, Ms. Nihan Rafiq, Ms. Amna Memon, Shams ul Haq Jafrani, Aijaz Shaikh and Shahid Suhail.
They attended the technical briefing on strengthening and raising works at Flood Protective Embankment, damaged in 2022 by flash flood, at Hamal Lake, Fareedabad town of Dadu district.
Shams ul Haq Jafrani, mission member, told that under the Sindh Emergency Flood Rehabilitation Project, cuts were plugged on an emergency basis to drain out the flood water. This enabled farmers to cultivate wheat crop along with flood protective and Suprio bund.
“In the second phase, rehabilitation and strengthening FP is being undertaken to withstand the pressure of flash floods in future,” Shams Jafrani added.
“The strengthening and raising work of Flood Protective Embankment have been started to protect the big towns and barrage area of Sindh from flood water of Balochistan,” Aijaz Shaikh, irrigation expert of World Bank told in briefing.
“Following the experiences of flood 2022, the level of 4 feet embankment of Flood Protective bund is being raised with stone pitching,” Aijaz Shaikh said.
“In monsoon 2022, Sindh witnessed extreme rain fall and torrential rains on the Khirthar Hills resulting in massive flooding in the province which inundated Kashmore, Qambar Shahdad Kot, Larkana ,Dadu and Jamshoro and other big populated areas,” Ali Tauqeer Shaikh, Climate Change Expert of World Bank told.
“Sindh being the most vulnerable province due to climate change effects is prone to such and even higher intensity events in the future,” he said.
“The project will improve the flood protection infrastructure, irrigation and drainage network and construct new small flood detention dams to reduce the damages caused by flash floods,” said Nasir Ali Panhwar, social safeguard and environment specialist Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project.
Acting Project Director Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project Shakil Ahmed briefing the World Bank team about strengthening and raising of Hamal lake bund said that the Hamal lake bund starts from 330 RDs to 430 RDs and it stores 0.3 million acres of feet water.
The mountain range water from the Balochistan and Sindh flows into Hamal Lake and then flows to Manchhar Lake through Main Nara Valley Drain by developing high pressures at embankments of the lake.
He said that all breaches at Hamal Lake were plugged and its raising of embankments were going on with full swim.
WB support mission visited the ongoing works at Maro Ja Thullah breach site at RD 340 of Hamal Lake and Hamal lake main regulator and zero point of Main Nara Valley Drain.
The WB mission also visited the damaged portions of Flood Protective bund in Fareedabad area.
Dr. Arshad Memon and Farooq Memon, environment specialists, also accompanied the WB mission.
Later, the World Bank mission members arrived at Sehwan and visited shrine of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz and observed the dhamal e Qalandar after offering Fateha and laying floral wreaths at grave of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
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