Sindh declares 23 districts calamity-hit

KARACHI: The Sindh government has declared 23 districts of the province calamity-hit areas following a heavy loss of human lives, livestock and standing Kharif crops, as torrential rains on Sunday continued to play havoc damaging thousands of mud-thatched houses, destroying roads and bridges in northern Sindh. Alongside, three children were the latest casualties of a roof collapse in Larkana.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed immediate provision of shelter, tents and ration to the rain-affected people in Matiari district. According to a notification issued by the Sindh Relief Department, 23 districts including Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, Dadu, Sujawal, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushero Feroze, Sanghar, Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Larkana, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Shikarpur, Kamber Shahdadkot, Jacobabad and two Dehs of Malir, including Deh UC Kun Jhang and Deh UC Gadap, were declared calamity hit.

The notification came following heavy losses of life, property, livestock and standing Kharif crops in districts mostly falling under six divisions i.e. Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Karachi. The torrential rains that started on Tuesday, continued on Sunday, collapsing thousands of mud-thatched houses and abodes besides destroying roads and bridges in northern Sindh.

The flood waters ravaged Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Jaccobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot and other districts. Three children were crushed after the roof of their house collapsed on them due to rain in Garello Town, Larkana. The death toll in roof collapse incidents has reached 18 in the province.

Alongside collapsing houses, grid stations in Thull taluka of Jaccobabad district were also inundated, suspending power supply to various areas and disrupting communication system after precious equipment worth millions of rupees was burnt due to the floods triggered by torrential rains.

The flood victims in several areas of northern Sindh were living under the open sky with relief being provided by the provincial government. With stranded water following urban flooding across streets and bazaars, the region presented the picture of a giant pond, creating hardship for pedestrians and motorists and keeping business activities shut.

Chairing a meeting to review the rain situation in the district at Bhitshah Rest House, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday directed immediate provision of shelter, tents and rations to the rain-affected people in Matiari district.

Murad Ali Shah directed the PDMA, district administration and the municipal authorities to ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from flooded areas. Briefing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Adnan Rashid said that 144mm of rain displaced 20,000 people, killed two and left several injured. He said 7,304 victims have so far been shifted to 73 relief camps established in Matiari, New Saeedabad and Hala, who are being provided tents, mosquito nets, rations and food.

The DC told the meeting that due to rain, 90 per cent of the crops cultivated on 52,520 acres of land across the district have been destroyed. Chief Minister Sindh directed Rehabilitation Adviser Rasool Bakhsh Chandio to provide ration bags and tents to the victims of Matiari district. He directed the district administration to build drainage system alongside roads in future. He also visited a relief camp set up at the Wapda SCARP Colony for the rain-hit people and reviewed arrangements for the affectees. The rain and subsequent flooding also damaged millions of rupees worth of wheat of the Sindh Food Department and PASSCO, which was kept out in the open godowns across Khairpur, Sukkur, and Ghotki. According to sources in the food department, the wheat stored in covered godowns was also damaged due to roof leakages.