LARKANA: Floods always cause damage to dykes and, therefore, a 24-hour struggle is underway to avoid devastation.
This was stated by MPA Mir Nadir Magsi, who is considered to be an expert in flood-fighting and has been assigned to oversee strengthening of different dykes within the Indus course across Northern Dadu Division.
“At this moment, flows from [Guddu and Sukkur barrages] at peak at Moria Loop Bund — one of the most vulnerable to erosion dykes in the region. By tonight or tomorrow, floodwater will start receding,” he told Dawn on Friday evening while supervising the ongoing strengthening work at the bund.
Expert in flood-fighting, MPA Nadir Magsi wants government to do more for safe passage of deluges; says round-the-clock monitoring underway at many dykes
“We are standing on the ‘highly sensitive’ Moria Loop Bund on the right side. In the recent past, floodwater used to flow straight downwards from the spur of this dyke, but now it turns around in a loop and comes back. So, stones are being stocked here. That’s why [more] work on the protective bund is essential, coupled with strict vigilance,” he said.
In reply to a question, he said water has to pass through all three bridges — Larkana-Khairpur, Dadu-Moro and Amri-Sehwan — “but the question is how much damage the floodwater can cause to dykes and bridges“.
“At present, the quantum of floodwater, equal to five days’ flow, is entering the river in 20 days; clearly, there is an obstruction,” he said.
“These bridges have been built, and whatever civil engineers have done, they have done, but floodwater always mounts immense pressure on dykes. This issue must be addressed,” he said.
Remedial measures suggested
MPA Magsi said that if open culverts are built on the roads over the embankments on the other side (left side), then the water will automatically rise and pass through, even if a road is above it. And if the water level is low, it will not cross. Roads should be built with culverts, so there will be no backflow of water, he said. He said the water must be given a passage, and the bridges should be reviewed.
“For this, I will take a paper to President [Asif Ali Zardari] about these bridges, because even the president’s own district, Nawabshah, has been affected by the Amri Bridge,” he said.
The MPA said it is not possible to build bridges between each embankment because this would involve a hefty amount of money. Therefore, funds should be allocated in the Annual Development Programme for culverts, so that flows of 20,000 or 40,000 cusecs can pass safely.
Position of bridges
MPA Magsi was briefed at the site by the chief engineer, superintending engineer and executive engineers with the help of maps and satellite images. They showed him that all three bridges were of small length as compared to the width of the river at these points.
The Larkana-Khairpur Bridge is just 1.2 kilometres long, as against the river’s width of 13 kilometres at this point. The engineers said that due to the narrow passage, floodwater naturally exerts pressure in the shape of backflow on dykes.
Flood situation
They said the peak flow would safely pass through Larkana within the next 24 hours, adding that dykes stood intact. The chief engineer right bank, sharing the current flows in the Indus, said that Guddu Barrage was in low flood now with an inflow of 376,300 cusecs and outflow of 347,969 cusecs.
The inflow at Sukkur Barrage is 482,090 cusecs and outflow 428,710 cusecs while the inflow at Kotri Barrage is 328,142 cusecs and outflow 306,887 cusecs.
He said Sukkur and Kotri barrages are in medium flood at the moment.
Flood peak causes damage
The peak of flood is currently passing through the dykes falling within the jurisdiction of Northern Dadu Division and mounting pressure on Moria, Hakra and Abad dykes — located in Larkana district.
The irrigation officials posted at the Moria Loop Bund told Dawn on Friday that it had caused damage to a portion of T-Spur, developing a situation that had prompted them to construct a stud in the downstream close to that T-Spur. They had started dumping heavy stones to urgently build it so as to remain on the safe side in case any more harm is done to the existing spur.
The Chief Engineer of Right Bank Mukhtiar Abro, Superintendent Engineer Northern Dadu Division and a host of other irrigation officials were present at the dyke to monitor the situation.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025
