Commemoration: Fisherfolk to remember loved ones lost in cyclone

KARACHI:

Hundreds of fishermen will gather near coastal area of Jati in Sajawal district on Monday to commemorate the victims of the devastating cyclone 02A, which hit Sindh’s coast on May 19, 1999.

The cyclone hit more than 300 villages and devastated the entire coastal zone of Thatta, Sajawal and Badin districts, leaving 450 villagers dead in its wake. At least 15,000 houses were damaged by the stormy winds and high tides, forcing people to flee the area. Noor Mohammed Thaimor, a community activist said parents of those children whose bodies were never found have never fully recovered from the tragedy.

The commemoration ceremony is being organised by Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum. The residents and relatives of the victims remember their loved ones every year by cooking and distributing sweetened rice among children. This year however, hundreds of people will join the gathering to commemorate the victims and force the government to take precautionary measures since the area has been declared 'disaster-prone'.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2014.