DERA GHAZI KHAN: Two persons died and one went missing as thousands of acres ofland of 30 villages in tehsil Taunsa of Dera Ghazi Khan and tehsil Jampur of district Rajanpur were flooded after a heavy downpour in the Sulaiman Range. It was the second high torrential flood in the last two weeks that was caused by the hill torrents in Kaha Sultan, Chachar and Rajanpur.

Two residents of village Machhi, identified as Juma Machhi and Mukhtar Machhi, were swept away by the strong waters of Kaha Sultan hill torrent. Juma was rescued by local people while Mukhtar was missing for more than 24 hours.

The flood washed away the bridge connecting the arid zone of Pachad-Dajil and Jampur city.

A breach occurred in the Kacchi canal and the canal water inun-dated an area. Due to the breaking of the structure of Noorpur siphon, the flood inundated village Kawnwala and other adjacent areas. The Rajanpur deputy commissioner said the administration would not leave the flood victims alone.

The Sanghar hill torrent left many villages of tehsil Taunsa, including Mangrotha, Sokarr, Bughlani, Bodo, Kachhal, Dagarwali Bait Arain, and their adjacent areas inundated. Theauthorities forced their residents toevacuate to saferplaces.

Dera Ghazi Khan DC Anwar Baryar said the administration was engaged in rescue and relief operations by using its all resources. He said two dead bodies came floating in flood from Musakhel, Balochistan and efforts were being made to identify the deceased.

WARNING: After the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a flood warningdue to heavy rains in DG Khan Division for Aug 17 and 18, the Punjab government has started considering the evacuation of residents from the vulnerable areas to protect their lives and property.

Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal chaired a meeting at his office at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore on Monday to review arrangements for dealing with possible flooding.

The meeting decided to deploy mobile teams of health and livestock departments and volunteers of Civil Defence in the DG Khan division.

Mr Afzal directed the authorities to immediately identify the areas likely to be hit by the hill torrents. He said arrangements would be made to move people as well as livestock to unsafe places.

He said transport and food facilities should be provided to locals moving to safer places and the help of notables of the area and prayerleaders (Imam)of mosques should be sought to convince people of evacuation.

He said the senior member of the Board of Revenue would supervise the evacuation plan and relief and rescue operation.The meeting was told that about 6,000 people were affected by the flood in DG Khan, Rajanpura and Jampur on Sunday.

Rescue operations were conducted at nine places in DG Khan and four places in Jampur.

Tents and food hampers were distributed among the affected areas. The senior member board of revenue, secretaries of irrigation, health, and livestock, director-general of PDMA and officers concerned attended the meeting while the DG Khan commissioner participated in it through a video link.

MUZAFFARGARH: The Indus level is rising once again as more than 350,000 cusecs of water is flowing in it at Taunsa from the hill torrents.

Sources said relief camps had been set up because more rains are expected in the Dera Ghazi Khan division in the next two days.

Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qamar has alerted Kot Addu Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Amir and his team.

More than 25 villages have already been evacuated last week. The administration has asked the people not to return to the area.