BAHAWALNAGAR: Crops on hundreds of acres of land were inundated after a 40-foot wide breach occurred in a canal due to heavy rain at village 109/6R on Saturday.

Villagers said they had informed the irrigation department officialsabout the incident, but no one turned up, and the water flowed into their area. Household items, grain stocks and valuables in the houses were damaged, while the strong currents of the floodwater washed away the standing cotton crop and fodder fields. The villagers on self-help basis tried to plugged the breach, but in vain.

The villagers held a protest rais-ing slogans against officials of the irrigation department, and alleged that the breach occurred due to their negligence. Dykes of the canal were weakened and they could not withstand the water pressure, they said.

The irrigation SDO said machinery and staff had been dispatched and the crack would be filled soon.

SUICIDE BIDS: Four people, including three teenage girls, were hospitalised on Saturday after they attempted suicide in four incidents in Chishtian.

According to the THQ hospital sources, 19-year-old Razia swallowed some poisonous substance after a scuffle with her husband at Chak 168 Murad and became unconscious.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Wajeha Bibi of Ghareeb Mohallah tried to end her life by drinking bleach when her family forbade her from going to a beauty parlour.

In Ghulam Muhammad locality, 16-year-old Zulaikhan Bibi consumed poisonous pills after a fight with her family on some domestic issue.

In the fourth incident, 24-year-old Dilshad, of Chak 212 Fateh, who wanted to live separately from his family after marriage, attempted suicide by drinking poisonous spray when his family refused to listen to him. Sources said all of them were shifted to the THQ Hospital where they were being treated. However, the condition of Zulaikhan was critical.