Rain batters northern Sindh

CM summons emergency meeting as many districts receive downpours of 227 to 110mm

KARACHI:

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presiding over a high-level rain emergency meeting on Sunday morning said that Sukkur, Dadu, Jacobabad, and Naushehroferoze have received heavy rains ranging from 227mm to 101mm, which has inundated the roads and streets, therefore, effective measures must be taken to protect the life and property of the people, and then dewatering efforts may be made.

"I want to see the entire government machinery, including district administration, local bodies, particularly in the rain-affected areas working on the roads, helping people and the Irrigation department patrolling on the embankments of the canals and distributaries to avoid breaches."

The meeting was held at CM House on Sunday morning and was attended by Sharjeel Memon, Saeed Ghani, Advisor Najmi Alam, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, DG Rangers Major Gen Azhar Waqas, SMBR Baqaullah Unar, Secretary Local Govt Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Health Rehan Baloch, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) DG Salman Shah, Corps Headquarter and Pak Navy Commander Karachi (COMKAR) representatives, Director Weather Ameer Hyder, and other concerned.

On Video link Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Mayor Sukkur Arshlan Shaikh, Commissioner of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas and Deputy Commissioners attended the meeting through video link.

Rain position

The CM said, as per the report sent to him by the commissioners, Sukkur has received 227mm rain which was the highest, followed by Dadu 181mm, Jacobabad 104mm, Khairpur 101mm, and Naushehroferoze 69mm, Minister of Local Government, Saeed Ghani, informed the CM that he has activated the local bodies all over Sindh and provided them with necessary facilities to work properly in the rain-affected areas.

Commissioner Sukkur Fayaz Abbasi told the CM that the four spells of heavy rains within 25 hours in District Sukkur have downpoured 263 mm, followed by 106 mm in Khairpur district. He added that three spells were dealt with and cleared the roads and low-lying areas within three to four hours while the water of the fourth spell was being dealt with.

In Khairpur district, Khairpur City recorded 106mm of rain, and Kingri Taluka recorded 105mm. Rainwater was drained out from Khairpur City.

The PDMA has provided 35 Diesel Engines, eight Dewatering machines, and 12 Tractor-mounted machines, in addition to two Mirage Trucks for dewatering Mud Pumps. Regarding losses, the CM was informed that 21 persons sustained injuries, five buffaloes perished, and 48 houses were damaged.