Torrential rains: Sindh declares 23 districts calamity-hit areas

• Sindh government declares 23 districts of province calamity-hit.
• Notification comes after heavy losses in life, property, livestock.
• Flood waters ravaged Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Jaccobabad, and several other districts. 

Following a heavy loss of human lives, livestock, and standing Kharif crops, the Sindh government declared 23 districts of the province calamity-hit areas on Sunday, as torrential rains continued to wreak havoc, damaging thousands of mud-thatched houses and destroying roads and bridges in northern Sindh.

Three children were among the latest victims of a roof collapse in Larkana.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed that rain-affected people in Matiari district be given shelter, tents, and food right away.

According to a notification issued by the Sindh Relief Department, 23 districts have been declared calamity hit, 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.

The notification came after heavy losses in life, property, livestock, and standing Kharif crops in districts primarily located in six divisions, namely Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Karachi. The torrential rains that began on Tuesday continued on Sunday, destroying roads and bridges in northern Sindh and collapsing thousands of mud-thatched houses and abodes.

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 systems 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 the immediate provision of shelter, tents, and rations to the rain-affected people in Matiari district.

Murad Ali Shah directed the PDMA, district administration and municipal authorities to ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from flooded areas. At the briefing, 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, where they 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 a drainage system alongside roads in the future. He also visited a relief camp set up at the Wapda SCARP Colony for the rain-hit people and reviewed arrangements for the affected.

The rain and subsequent flooding also damaged millions of rupees worth of wheat belonging to the Sindh Food Department and PASSCO, which were 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.