Sindh swamped by flash floods

Scores of families displaced in inundated areas of Badin

HYDERABAD/ KARACHI:

Monsoon showers that began on Monday and continued throughout Tuesday deluged parts of Mirpurkhas, Badin and Thatta districts.

Meanwhile, low-lying areas in Hyderabad, where 133 millimetres (mm) of rain was recorded, and Tando Jam, which received 93mmm of rain, were also partially inundated.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, 162mm of rain was recorded in Mirpurkhas until 10.30 am on Tuesday, 135mm in Mithi, Tharparkar, 111mm in Chorr, 109mm in Badin and 72mm in Thatta. 

However, the Tharparkar deputy commissioner (DC) claimed the district's Mithi taluka received 324mm rain in 24 hours, starting on Monday morning. Besides, some 300mm rain was recorded in Diplo taluka 241mm in Nangarparkar and 217mm in Islamkot.

Moreover, Tando Allahyar, Tando Bago, Dadu, Nawabshah, Rohri and other parts of Sindh also witnessed flash floods.  

Rainwater entered government hospitals in most of the affected districts, submerging their entrances and other low-lying parts of the healthcare facilities.

In Badin, scores of families faced displacement due to flooding, while affected families in Tharparkar were reportedly being relocated to safer places. 

Mirpurkhas

In Mirpurkhas, the torrential downpour submerged multiple areas, dozens of roads and main markets in ankle-to-knee-deep water, while drainage faces delays due to the suspension of electricity supply to pumping stations.

"Bashirabad, Habib, Urs and other surrounding colonies have turned into riverbeds," a resident, Ahmed Ali, told The Express Tribune.

Another resident, Saleem Shar complained, "There is water everywhere but the administration is missing." He voiced the fear that the situation may worsen by Thursday if emergency measures were not taken and affected families not shifted to safer locations.  

In this regard, Mirpurkhas DC Zahid Hussain Memon told the local media that drainage had slowed down due to power outages, adding that electric generators, run on diesel, were being used to keep pumping stations functioning.

However, the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company claimed it had only suspended the power supply to 88 electric feeders in the region. Contradicting the company's claims, though, a complete blackout was witnessed in Hyderabad district alone, where there are around 100 feeders, past midnight.

There were also reports of citizens attempting to break the roads to drain water caused by flash floods in Mirpurkhas' rural areas. However, the district administration stopped these in time.

Besides, a breach in the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) in Mirpurkhas, Dighri and several other locations further aggravated the flooding.

Badin district needs immediate attention. It´s been raining for over 24 hours. Several areas deluged. Families displaced. Agri land under knee deep water. pic.twitter.com/xCiG0wxUL4

— Sameer Mandhro (@smendhro) August 25, 2020

Badin

In Badin, dozens of families were displaced due to flash floods.

Battered by heavy showers and with nowhere else to go, these hapless citizens were seen rushing to empty government-owned buildings, including schools, in search of refuge.

"But they were later moved out," decried Muhammad Suleman, a Badin resident. Stressing that these families were in need of immediate government help, he told The Express Tribune that most of them, particularly those in Kadhan, Shadi and Seerani, were now on the move in search for safety.

Meanwhile, these three cities, as well as the district's other coastal areas, continued to face the threat of more floods with local residents fearing rain-induced damage to the LBOD and Amir Shah Sim nullah.  

In the district's remote areas, at least three villages and hundreds of acres of agricultural land were submerged following a 30-foot breach in Sher Wah water channel.  

Golarchi, Tando Ghulam Ali, Malkani Sharif and other rural towns have also been inundated.

Hyderabad

A passenger coach has drowned on Shah Noorani Road near Hub River. Prayers for the safety of all on board.#Karachi #KarachiRain pic.twitter.com/M6AqEjUR5d

— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) August 25, 2020

In Hyderabad, where rainfall continued through the night on Monday, low-lying areas including Latifabad unit 2, Hali Road, Liaquat Colony, Qasimabad, Phuleli, Station Road and others, were deluged as rainwater entered houses, standing knee-deep at several locations. 

As a result, many families from Mahar Ali and other low-lying areas began relocating.

Similarly, the railway track running between the main station and Channel Mori remained inundated for several hours, as a consequence of which train service had to be suspended.  Many regions also faced power outages for as long as 15 hours. 

The district administration, however, ensured that all drainage pumping stations worked without a break, as Hyderabad DC Fuad Ghaffar Soomro ordered the relevant officials to work on 'war footing.'

However, Hyderabad mayor Syed Tayyab Hussain, while addressing a press conference, demanded that the federal government hand over the city to the National Disaster Management Authority.