Six killed as rains lash upper Sindh

Breaches in waterways destroy crops spread over thousands of acres

HYDERABAD:

The monsoon rains battered many parts of Sindh on Saturday and Sunday, partially submerging roads and low-lying localities in those districts besides claiming at least six lives in the incidents of roof collapse.

The prolonged power outages and breaches in many waterways further complicated life for hundreds of thousands of the affected people. The farmers also reported losses to their crops, spreading to thousands of acres. The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded up to 132 millimeters rain in Shaheed Benazirabad, 79 mm in Jacobabad, 77 mm in Mirpurkhas, 76 mm in Noushehro Feroze, 65 mm in Dadu, 61 mm in Hyderabad, 38 mm in Khairpur and Sukkur, and 26 mm in Larkana. The recorded rainfall readings have been the highest in the ongoing monsoon season in the province.

At least six deaths attributed to roof collapse surfaced on Sunday, claiming lives of two children as well. A child died and six persons were injured in two separate incidents of roof collapse in Darya Khan Mari area of Noushehro Feroze. The deceased child has been identified as Tufailan, a resident of village Khandu Mari. A total of six similar incidents were reported from this town.

In Mehar taluka of Dadu 10 years old Raunak Ali was buried under the debris of his home's roof in village Ali Murad Hisbani while his father Manthar Ali sustained injuries. In Bahu Khoso area of Jacobabad district, 50 years old Ayesha and her grandson Taimur lost their lives when the roof of their house caved in. The incident happened near village Shahdost Banglani.

An eight years old child, Ayan Ali Bughio, fell in a rainwater filled ditch in village Gachero and drowned to death. He is said to be the only child of his parents. In Moro taluka of Noushehro Feroze, two persons drowned while boating during rainfall near Dadu-Moro bridge on the Indus river. The bodies of deceased Izhar Mangi and Raja Shah could not be found by Sunday evening.

Kashif Mughal, 30 years old, was electrocuted to death in Mirpurkhas while fixing an internet cable over an electric pole during rain. The incident happened in the limits of Satellite Town police station. A number of ruptures also occurred in the embankments of canals and distributaries.

Water flowing from a breach in Rohri canal of Sukkur barrage in village Aalam Dero submerged five villages in Tando Adam, Sanghar district. More than 1,500 people were displaced and among them over 300 were accommodated in the government's relief camps, according to deputy commissioner Dr Imranul Hassan Khuwaja.

Four villages were also inundated in Jacobabad due to an opening in Mubarakpur distributary which widened from 20 feet to 100 feet. Two breaches occurred in Moosa distributary including a 40 feet wide one at RD 33 and a 20 feet wide at RD 65. The ruptures began on Saturday and could not be plugged by Sunday.

Rice fields on hundreds of acres of land went under water due to a 100-feet wide breach in Dodapur Begari canal in Jacobabad. The embankments of Shahi Wah in the same district also broke open, flooding rice crops.