Villages on Sindh coastal belt marooned

Outbreak of waterborne diseases, food shortage reported

KARACHI:

Several villages along Sindh’s coastal belt have submerged in rainwater after continuous downpour of monsoon season. Villagers complain about severe shortage of food and outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Residents of villages near Keti Bunder, Mirpur Sakro, Buharo, Garho and other adjacent areas said they were marooned in rainwater and the district administration has yet to shift them to safer places.

“We have never seen this kind of flood situation before,” Shakeel Memon, a resident of Keti Bunder told The Express Tribune. “There is extreme fear of more rains and heavy winds,” he added.

Memon said that vegetable, betel leaf and other ready crops have been destroyed completely. “It has been raining continuously for the last two weeks,” he said.

The residents of the affected area have also informed about the outbreak of waterborne diseases like malaria and diarrhoea. “There is no lady doctor in the hospital while there is acute shortage of medicines,” he claimed.

Another villager said that the officials have distributed some tents among the people but people are starving and still waiting for the supply food.

Bachayo from Parero village some 13km from Buharo city said that people have to use boats to shift their sick and elderly persons to hospitals and safer places on their own. “There is no medical camp and no one from the government has visited our villagers so far. We are left at the mercy of the nature,” he added.

“The situation is very critical,” said Abdul Qayoom, a resident of Sajan Shah. “There is acute shortage of food. It is a disaster and we are helpless,” he said. He said majority of villages were disconnected from main towns and people had to rely on whatever they had stored before the rains.

Qayoom also informed The Express Tribune that sea water has submerged several villages.

Ali Shah from the same village said that the nearby villages including Khajoori and Abdullah Shah are inundated with rain water. “Villages have no connection with nearby cities and towns and villagers are left with nothing to eat.” he said.

“We need immediate help and appeal government to come to our villages,” he said. 

CS unable to visit Keti Bunder villages

The Sindh Chief Secretary (CS), Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput visited the rain-hit villages but was unable to visit Keti Bunder and adjacent areas.

He directed district the administration to immediately provide medicines, drinking water, food, tents and other necessary goods to the people. He also directed the officials to continue relief until the affected people are shifted back to their native areas after the rains.

He further directed that in view of the possible flood situation, other nearby populations of the coastal areas should be shifted to relief camps. Rajput also directed Deputy Commissioner Thatta, Ghazanfar Ali Qadri to submit a detailed report of the damages as soon as possible to ensure immediate assistance to the people of the area.

He said that the presence of ambulances, doctors, paramedical staff, necessary medicines including snake bite vaccines and all other facilities should be ensured in all hospitals and health centres across the district.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2022.