Unpredictable weather: Dust storm in south Punjab claims 5 lives

Tyres of an airplane burst on landing at Multan airport.

MULTAN:

At least five people were killed and 26 others were injured when a massive dust storm hit Multan, Muzaffargarh, Vehari and Khanewal.

A Met Department spokesman said wind speed was recorded at 131 kilometres per hour. The dust storm hit Multan around 7pm on Saturday evening and peaked at around 9pm. Visibility was drastically reduced due to the dust.

A four-year-old girl died and four others were injured when the roof of a house collapsed at Ram Kalli, Muzaffargarh. A man died when a billboard collapsed on him and his cattle in the same area. Some 10 people were injured when signboards and hoardings collapsed in Muzaffargarh.



Two people were killed in road accidents in Khanewal and Vehari. Another died in the outskirts of Multan when the roof of his house collapsed.

Two labourers were buried under mud due to mudslide while digging a well near Chakk 161 in Layyah. Rescue 1122 teams pulled them out and took them to a hospital.

Power supply and telephone lines were also affected. Many farmers claimed that their mango crop had been destroyed by the dust storm which was followed by heavy showers on Sunday morning. They said unripe mangoes had blown off. Scores of trees were also uprooted.

Mango Growers’ Association president Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi said some 10 per cent of mango crop had been destroyed in the storm.

He said mango production had already decreased by 25 per cent due to an intense winter. He said the growers were also facing a water shortage.

Tyres of a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst on landing at Multan airport. Airport officials described it as a malfunction of its auto-break system.

The plane, carrying 100 passengers, had arrived from Islamabad at around 8.30pm. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was on the flight.

Tariq Gill, Multan International Airport manager, said tyres on the left side of PK-168 burst during landing. A part of the airport lounge ceiling collapsed also during the storm. No injuries were reported.

Several electricity feeders tripped due to the massive dust storm resulting a power breakdown in most affected districts.

MEPCO Chief Muzaffar Abbasi said he had cancelled leaves of all workers on Sunday and ordered them to fix the power system.

Power supply had not been restored in some outskirts of Multan till this report was filed.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2015.