MULTAN: Tears welled unrestrained when Khairan Mai, a woman ensnared by destitution, saw her solitary mud room home crumbling beneath the unstoppable onslaught of severe floods in the Sutlej River.
A resident of Old Saldaira Village in Vehari district, Khaira Mai had constructed a mud home after a very hard struggle of many years where she was residing with her two kids and a differently-abled husband. She had to leave her home after the floodwater warnings.
Within the humble confines of the house were two cots, a modest array of clothes, and necessary utensils of their kitchen. The merciless surge of the River Sutlej forced Khaira Mai and her family to abandon their dwelling. Upon her temporary revisit to check the condition of her home, Mai’s world shattered as she witnessed the complete collapse of her abode, according to APP.
The tearful and sobbing Khaira Mai said that she was in extreme pain. She does not know what will happen next and how she will rebuild her destroyed home.
Relief Efforts Amid Sutlej River Surge
She, however, felt some relief when a local landlord and philanthropist promised to rebuild her shattered home after the flood situation turned out to be normal. The pledge made by local landlord Sajjad Saldaira raised new hope in her life amidst the pains of devastation.
A resident of district Vehari, Sajjad Saldaira, said that floodwater stretched up to twenty kilometers from the riverbanks, engulfing hundreds of villages and bringing extensive damage to infrastructure.
He said that the situation is painful whenever flood reaches localities, sweeping valuables of poor residents and leaving thousands homeless.
Sajjad said that his heart was aching for the poor families who are under immense stress.
Sajjad’s compassion extended to contributions to many families as he highlighted the urgent need for broader help in flood-ravaged areas.
He lauded the efforts of Rescue 1122, particularly the dedication of young rescuers who have earned the respect and gratitude of the affected population.
Similar stories of compassion and courage abound in the flood-affected regions, where people would be grappling to cover up financial damages in the aftermath of disaster.
One such tale is that of Kali Sheikh, a determined young man who turned to sell his domestically up brought chickens to feed his family.
However, nature intervened in the form of another philanthropist, Qasim Saldaira, whose pledge turned Kali’s despair into hope. He extended donations and arranged eatables for the poor family.
These are just the isolated examples, as the recent flood had left behind numerous heart-wrenching tales, with most families expressing fears of their upcoming financial difficulties.
Local people, rescue departments, and administration swiftly moved to secure communities soon after the flood warning was issued. Despite individual efforts by the local people, a planned operation was carried out by Rescue 1122 to evacuate people to safe places.
The Punjab spokesperson for Rescue 1122, Farooq Ahmed, said that in total, 278,271 people have been safely evacuated using 417 vessels, along with the relocation of 17,073 animals to safer grounds till 31 August.
