Rain wreaks havoc in Sindh

Govt announces immediate relief in calamity-hit districts

HYDRABAD:

The heavens opened again across Sindh starting Wednesday evening, partially flooding both the urban and rural areas and entailing widespread power outages which made draining of rainwater difficult in the urban towns.

The Pakistan Meteoro-logical Department recorded 156 millimeter rain in Tharparkar's Chor area, 141 mm in Larkana's Mohenjo Daro, 134 mm in Naushehro Feroze, 130 mm in Hyderabad, 111 mm in Mirpurkhas. The readings were taken during 24 hours from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening.

At least two persons including a woman and a child reportedly died in the incidents of collapse of roof and walls of homes and dozens of other people were injured. The roof of a home in Micro Colony in Sukkur district caved in and killed Sahibzadi Jagirani besides injuring three of her family members.

Naudero -Bhutto family's hometown

In Setharja, Khairpur district, four months old Sobia died in a similar incident. Her body was pulled out from under the rubble after four hours. At least 20 persons were injured in Matiari district, 10 each in Benazirabad and Larkana districts. The rains cut off more villages from their rural towns. The loss of livestock animals is also being reported.

The president of Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) Ayaz Latif Palijo on Thursday demanded declaring rain emergency in Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Dadu, Jamshoro Sujawal, Mirpurkhas, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Benazirabad, Matiari, Sanghar and some other districts. He asked the government to immediately start the relief exercise as the marooned people are facing immense difficulties to arrange meals.

Khairpur Mir's district

Palijo said the urban flooding in Karachi and Hyderabad has necessitated an extensive overhaul of the drainage system of the two cities. He sought accountability of the officers of K-Electric and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) for depriving the people of the power supply and for hampering drainage of the rainwater.

The Hari Welfare Association (HWA), a non-profit organization, claimed that hundreds of thousands of peasants and their families have been affected by the rains. The association's Akram Khaskheli demanded an immediate relief package for the peasants and farm labours. He said the farm animals are dying in large numbers. He expressed fear that if the government does not intervene the peasants will be forced into bonded labour.

Railways communications jammed

Incessant rains have jammed the communication system of Pakistan Railways in Kotri and Jamshoro disrupting the train traffic.

Residents were forced to remain confined to their homes as rain water accumulated at various places in the districts. Water supply also came to a standstill, when HESCO closed more than 40 feeders for the past 24 hours, while gas supply also got discontinued this time.

In the north, rain was pounding the Naushehro Feroze Naushero Feroze and its surroundings from Wednesday night continued till Thursday, inundating most parts of the city.

In some localities, many families have left their homes and shifted to other places due to the cracks in houses and other buildings.

The torrential rain has set panic among the citizens and many were calling for mercy and offering prayers.

Urgent relief

The Sindh government has decided to release Rs3 million instantly to each of the rain-affected districts for setting up relief camps, and providing food, mosquito nets, medicines and other necessary items to the affectees.

The decision was taken in a meeting on post-rain situation held on Thursday with Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput in chair.

All divisional commissioners informed the meeting about the situation, saying that more than 220 mm of rain fell in the last 24 hours which caused losses of life and property across the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2022.