MITHI: Two minor girls drowned near Islamkot as widespread rain lashed almost all parts of the district for a third consecutive day on Tuesday.

Identified as Asma, 5, and Fizza, 4, the girls drowned in a pool of rainwater in Tharyo Halepoto village. The victims were close relatives.

Intermittent showers continued in parts of Tharparkar on Tuesday, after two days of heavy rains coupled with thunderstorm across the district.

Tharparkar, the rain-dependent arid zone of the country, needs seven to eight spells of at least 50mm rainfall with an interval of 10 to 15 days during this monsoon for smooth cultivation of traditional crops and sufficient fodder for around eight million cattle heads.

DADU: Several spells of heavy rain pounded Dadu, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, Sehwan, Bhan Syedabad, Lakhi Shah Saddar, Sann, Manjhand and other towns as well as villages of this district.

Rainwater submerged low-lying areas of Dadu city while roads remained inundated as municipal staff failed to clear them.

Land communication of 350 villages of Kachho belt of Dadu district remained cut off from Johi city on Tuesday after heavy rainfall alongside the Khirthar mountain range.

Rainwater has inundated thousands of acres of land and the deluge was flowing towards Manchhar Lake.

Talking with this reporter, Wafa Birhmani a resident of Johi, said there was happiness on the faces of people of Kachho as the rain would alleviate the drought-like condition in the area. He said barren land would be cultivated after the rains.

A resident of Kachho belt said that thousands of families had been stranded in villages due to sudden rain in the area. People there were facing shortage of food, medicines and drinking water, he added.

He said the Dadu DC and Johi AC had visited the area before the rain to inform people about the rainy situation.

Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Kachho, said the elected representatives, MPA of Johi and MNA, were missing from the area in difficult times. He said the people of Kachho were left at the mercy of God.

He warned that if the area received more rain, the situation of people would worsen in Kachho as the district administration of Dadu had not taken any measures for emergency situation.

He said seven breaches had occurred in Nai Gaaj Bund, 4,000 feet-wide, during the last monsoon season and they were yet to be plugged.

In the event of more rainfall at Khirthar range, water would directly hit FP Bund near Johi and might develop more breaches.

But, talking to this reporter, Iqbal Palejo, superintendent engineer irrigation of Dadu, said FP Bund was safe. Flood-fighting material was available at various parts of the bund and patrolling along it had been started. Water situation was also normal there, he said.

He said rainwater was moving towards Manchhar Lake safely and it was raising the level of the lake gradually.

However, due to rains in Kachho, 12 link roads were inundated as the inhabitants of Kachho were facing trouble in travelling from Kachho to Johi.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021