Fierce winds: South Punjab districts weather raging storm

Wheat farmers have requested the government to declare the area calamity-hit

BAHALWALPUR/ DERA GHAZI KHAN/ MULTAN: A fierce sandstorm followed by a downpour ripped through several South Punjab districts on Monday evening causing much damage to ripening wheat crops and resulting in blackouts in several places. 

The storm gathered in the southern areas of Bahawalpur City at around 4:45pm. A resident of the area said there was no visibility beyond 50 yards. By 5pm, electricity had gone out in the entire city and heavy rain had started to fall. The downpour subsided at around 9pm and electricity was restored in the city at 1:11am.

The storm left in its wake, several collapsed billboards, mud houses and weak structures in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Several trees were uprooted and farmers complained that their wheat crops had been flattened. The affected farmers requested the government to declare the area calamity-hit. Fayazul Hassan Bhutta, one of the farmers, said, “We can only pray for wheat… if there’s another rainy spell like this one in the next two weeks, we will lose almost all of the produce.”

Dilshad Ahmad and his mother were travelling on a motorcycle from Ali Kharak to Mubarakpur when they were caught in the storm. They were near Fareedabad when an uprooted tree fell on top of them killing Ahmad on the spot. His mother was injured and was later taken to a hospital.

Wheat farmers in Khairpur Tamewali and Head Rajkaan said that most of their crops had been flattened in the downpour. Several trees in Dera Bhaka were uprooted after a heavy downpour that lasted almost half an hour. The uprooted trees and billboards blocked traffic in several areas but were removed by the administration after the storm subsided.

Rescue-1122 officials said 41 people from Multan, Sahiwal, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakpattan, Bahawalanagar and Bhakkar districts were injured in the storm on Monday-Tuesday. Several people were injured in roof collapses in Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Khanewal and Bhakkar. MEPCO officials said 25 electricity poles in rural areas of Lodhran district were uprooted as well.

Rainwater pooled knee-deep in several areas in Sialkot creating problems for citizens.

In Dera Ghazi Khan, electricity went out for several hours as many feeders tripped and transformers blew up as heavy rain showers continued well into the night. Signboards were uprooted on several of the roads.

Residents of Taunsa and surrounding tribal areas braved a severe sandstorm that left several weak structures in shambles. Crops in these areas, too, were affected.

The MET Office said 2.2mm rain was recorded in these areas and cloudy weather has been forecast for the next 24 hours. The chief minister expressed grief over the loss of crops and property due to the storm. APP

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2015.