Thunderbolts and lightning: Torrential rain lashes in upper Sindh, claims one life

A man was killed when the roof of a warehouse collapsed due to the downpour in Sukkur.

SUKKUR:

Heavy rain lashed in parts of upper Sindh on Monday morning, submerging main roads and streets and suspending the power supply in many cities and towns till the afternoon. Meanwhile, a man was killed when the roof of a warehouse collapsed due to the rain in Sukkur.

At around 8:45am, torrential rain, with claps of thunder and flashes of lightning, hit Sukkur and other parts of upper Sindh, including Rohri, Pannu Aqil, Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Ubauro, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kandhkot, Kashmore, Larkana, Kambar-Shahdadkot and Dadu.

In Sukkur, the rain was so intense that roads in most of the city's low-lying localities, such as Shalimar, Clock Tower, Gharibabad, Shahi Bazaar, Sarrafa Bazaar, Nishter Road, Dhak Road, Miani Road, Bunder Road and Waritar Road, were submerged within minutes.

Meanwhile, since the power supply was disrupted as the rainfall started, the drainage disposal pumps at various stations remained inoperative for hours. As a result, rainwater and drainage water accumulated on the city's main roads, causing hardships for commuters as many cars and motorcycles broke down.

Water also entered houses in Old Sukkur, New Goth and New Pind, adding to the miseries of the residents. Meanwhile, a man, identified as Vicki Kumar, was killed when the roof of a warehouse in Agha Qadirdad Khan Date Market caved in due to heavy rain.

Knee-deep water accumulated in most areas of Ghotki and Jacobabad, while rainfall caused extensive damage to the harvested wheat crop, which was still lying under the open skies, in Ghotki. Old wheat stock was also stored out in the open in many areas, causing fears that this too had been damaged.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2015.