Five spells caused Rs40b losses

Bilawal directs PPP MPAs to stay in constituencies and help people

KARACHI:

As the incessant rains continue to wreak havoc in Sindh, the provincial government on Friday said that the five monsoon spells have caused an estimated financial losses of Rs40 billion.

Officials informed in a meeting, which was held to review the rain losses, that around 166 people have lost lives and 573 sustained injuries. As many as 2,849 cattle have perished, 47,399 houses have been damaged [6,489 destroyed and 40,910 partially damaged], and standing crops on 810,683 acres of agriculture lands have been washed away.

The meeting, which was co-chaired by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, was also informed that around 256 roads and 18 bridges have been damaged by the heavy rains across Sindh.

"The Sindh government has declared nine districts calamity-hit and four more districts are being included in the category. The provincial government has meager resources; therefore, the federal government would have to come forward to help my administration to rehabilitate the affected people," CM Shah said while briefing Bilawal Bhutto.

The funds would be utilized for the rehabilitation of the affected people, rebuilding of their houses, compensating those who lost their crops, shops, and businesses. Funds would also be spent on the repair of damaged roads, bridges, and sewerage system.

Chairman Bilawal assured the chief minister that he would talk to the prime minister to help the Sindh government.

According to officials, around 1.053 million people have been affected and 432,658 displaced by this year's unusual rains. "We have set up 61 relief camps where 1,169 people have been shifted, while others are reluctant to leave their homes; therefore, they have been provided tents, mosquito nets, beds, and other such things through PDMA," said CM Shah.

"Widespread thunderstorms with heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at scattered places; therefore, flood warnings have been issued all over the province," Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput told the meeting. Mirpurkhas received relentless rain for 36 hours on August 18.

Other areas, including Larkana, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, and Kashmore have also been affected. Surveys of losses and damages are being conducted there, he said, adding that the rain has also wreaked havoc in Nawabshah, Naushehroferoze, and Umerkot.

The issue of precarious condition of Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) also came up for discussion at the meeting. It was informed that the LBOD was in a precarious condition right from Sanghar, Shahdadputr up to Kaloi.

Regarding Hyderabad, the meeting was told that the Latifabad and Qasimabad have been submerged while dewatering machines have been installed to drain out the rainwater. Other worst-hit areas included Jamshoro, Majhad, Sehwan taluka, Johi of Dadu, Tando Mohammad Khan, and Tando Allahyar.

The Sukkur and Khairpur districts have received heavy downpours, which left the local population marooned while washing away their entire date and cotton crops. Schools in Sukkur and Khairpur have been closed for the last two days.

Commenting on the issue, Bilawal Bhutto, who is also the foreign minister of Pakistan, said that the ongoing monsoon rains have swamped hundreds of villages and towns in 13 districts of Sindh.

"It [heavy rain] has rendered thousands of people homeless; therefore, their proper care is the responsibility of our government in Sindh," he said and directed the chief minister to send the party MPAs to their constituencies for helping the people there.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2022.