DADU: Four people died when roofs of their houses — weakened by over a month of continuous rainfall — caved in on them during torrential rain that continued to pound the province on Wednesday, adding to already stagnant rainwater in low-lying spaces and farmland, causing saline water drains to overflow and seawater to intrude onto land in coastal belt.

Rainwater entered houses in low-lying localities in towns and over 200 villages in Kachho region and coastal belt in Thatta and Sujawal districts, inundating hundreds of acres of farmland and forcing a large population to shift to safe places, river banks and nearby towns.

In Khairpur, two women and a child were killed and two men were injured when the roof of their house collapsed on them during heavy rain in Luqman locality. The victims were identified as 18-year-old Salma, Farida and a-year-old Mohammad Usman.

Neighbours pulled out the bodies and the injured from under the debris and shifted them to hospital.

Saline water drains overflow, seawater intrude onto land in Thatta coastal belt

In another incident, Niaz Sheikh died and 10 others were injured after the roof of their house fell on them during heavy rain in a settlement on the embankment of Manchhar Lake.

The residents of the village complained that several houses were in a dilapidated condition and might collapse any moment if the rain continued at the present pace.

200 villages marooned

More than 200 villages were marooned in rainwater and roads were submerged after heavy rain in Nai Naing Sharif and Jhangara area, forcing villagers to shift to safe places.

Villagers feared the continuous rain would completely destroy their crops worth millions of rupees.

Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Fariduddin Mustafa visited rain-hit villages and said he had received instructions to prepare a report on actual scale of the damage caused by the rain so that the relief department could take better steps to help the affected people.

Rain causes sea intrusion in coastal belt

The continuous heavy rain caused overtopping of saline water drains and seawater to intrude onto land through the drains in coastal belt of Thatta and Sujawal districts, inundating hundreds of acres of farmland, villages and poultry farms and forcing a large population to shift to safe places and nearby towns of Gaarho, Chuhar Jamali, Keti Bunder and Ghorabari.

In Keti Bunder, over 30 villages came under seawater after breaches in protective bund.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput visited Thatta coastal belt and issued directives to district administrations to provide maximum relief to rain-hit population.

Diseases break out

Malaria and waterborne diseases have broken out in the two districts in the wake of continuous rain while the administrations have completely failed to extend health facilities, mosquito nets, medicine, potable water and food to rain-hit villagers.

290 Dehs declared calamity hit

Sindh Relief Commissioner has declared 290 Dehs of Thatta district as calamity stricken and asked the deputy commissioner to take appropriate measures to provide maximum relief to the rain victims.

In Mirpurkhas, heavy rainfall lashed the city and other towns of the district intermittently, forcing population in low-lying areas and villages to shift to safe places along with their cattle.

Almost all main roads and streets were submerged in knee deep rainwater. The stagnant water was now breeding mosquitoes and flies, which were causing diseases to break out in the city and its outskirts.

Rain destroys crops

Landlords Mohammad Ali Bhurgari and Khalid Arain said that the rain had devastated crops including cotton despite closure of watercourses in the district. Most growers had failed to drain out stagnant rainwater from their fields, they said.

They said that water level in LBOD drains was rising and posing serious threat to nearby villages. The stagnant rainwater had damaged roads and streets and created deep ditches and potholes, creating difficulties for motorists.

It also rained in Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Jhuddo, Tando Jan Mohammad, Naokot, Kot Ghulam Mohammad, Sindhri, Phuladiyyoon, Patoyoon, Hingorno, Khaan, Jhilori etc.

High alert issued in Hyderabad

The heavy downpour continued to batter Hyderabad and adjoining districts, paralysing civic life completely and prompting district administration to issue a high alert for town residents. The rain caused flooding in the city, Latifabad and Qasimabad areas.

Met office at the airport recorded 24mm of rain since 2pm to 8pm and said further chances of rain could not be ruled out.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Deputy Commi­ssioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro issued a high alert for the residents of Hyderabad ahead of a ‘historic’ rainfall that might hit Hyderabad as per forecast.

He advised people not to leave their homes unnecessarily during rain. According to the Met department’s forecast a powerful rainfall system could hit Hyderabad and its adjoining districts over the next 24 to 36 hours and might fall as much as 200mm rain.

He asked traders and shopkeepers to close their business by 3pm over the next two days to avoid damage from flooding.

Heavy rainfall was also reported from Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Tando Mohammad Khan districts.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2022