Distraught flood affectees hoping for a miracle

Residents of Qambar Shahdadkot district complain that relief camps are inadequate

KAMBER SHAHDADKOT:

Torrential rains of a magnitude unheard of since the past six decades have upended lives in Sindh, with many finding it hard to even find dry land for burials let alone shelter.

It was 62 years ago when the province was last left in a state of post flooding ruin but this time around the destruction and loss of life has been of immense proportions. Arbab Marfani, who was sitting with his family on the roadside in a makeshift tent, has not seen anything like it before.

“This seems like the day of judgement has come for us. I cannot even begin to tell you what has happened with us,” a visibly distraught and tired Marfani said. He along with his entire village has been on the move ever since their houses collapsed due to the violent flooding. “Around 90% of the houses in our village have been destroyed. The rains have crippled our lives and taken away our belongings,” Marfani lamented, adding that his animals had perished and his crops had been washed away.

Presently, Qambar Shahdadkot district looks as if it has always been an ocean with no signs of dry land for miles. In many areas trees, animals, and personal belongings of people can be seen floating around in the muddy waters. A huge number of families, who were lucky enough to escape with their livestock, have now found refuge on roads that have not been submerged yet.

“We tried everything to stop the water overflowing from the canals but it was too little too late,” said Abdul Wahid, a primary teacher who hails from the Thori Bijar village, adding that the villagers had tried putting sandbags but the flood overtook everything. Wahid, who is now living under the open sky, was forced to vacate when his village fell prey to the monsoons flooding and most of the houses collapsed.

Countless others share the fate of Marfani and Wahid and are now hoping for some divine intervention to lessen their misery. "Everyone is now attempting to rescue and save the lives of their kith and kin. If you look at the 200 villages nearby, you will think an apocalypse has hit. Nearly all the infrastructure has been destroyed,” said Abdul Malik, a social worker who is from the area. Malik explaining why the area had been hit hard stated, “The main drain that carries the water of three tehsils of our district crosses from our villages. The rains created massive breaches in the drain and then chaos ensued.”

When asked if any help had arrived to help prevent further flooding, Malik informed that government officials and elected representatives had refused to provide any machinery to plug the breaches citing that the area was not commutable. While the provincial government has not provided any help to the district, data provided by the local administration reveals that 34 people have lost their lives in Qambar Shahdadkot and 461 have sustained injuries. 

"According to our initial survey, 900,000 people have been affected and 30,000 have been displaced. While 800 animals have perished," said Deputy Commissioner (DC), Javeed Nabi Khoso, whilst briefing the media. The DC also said over a 100 relief camps have been established to help those affected by the record rainfalls. However, residents of the district say that these are all false claims. “Our children sleep on an empty stomach. In the last three days they have provided food only thrice,” said Khuda Bux Muhgeri, an affectee who was visiting the relief camps. Mugheri further informed that children and women from his village were suffering from diarrhoea and skin disease but no proper medical care was being provided.

Flood victims in another government operated relief camp concurred with Mugheri. “Some officials visited us recently. We asked them to provide drinking water but no one has returned yet,” said a devastated Abdullah Khoso while talking to The Express Tribune.