At least 88 people died in rain related incidents in Sindh, Balochistan
KARACHI/QUETTA/ISLAMABAD, July 12 (SABASH): Continuous heavy rains have caused flooding like situation in various parts of the country that badly affected routine life.
In Sindh, twenty-six people have died in rain related incidents during current spell of monsoon rains across the province.
In a statement, Provincial Disaster management Authority said 14 died in Karachi, 9 in Thatta, 2 in Khairpur and one in Sukkur.
Talking to media persons after visiting rain affected areas in Karachi, Sindh chief Minsiter Syed Murad Ali Shah thanked Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for offering help of federal government to cope with rain emergency.
He said members of his cabinet, staff of District municipal corporations and Administrator Karachi are on roads to help people. He said civic agencies are busy in draining out rain water from roads and low lying areas in the city.
Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed deep sorrow over loss of lives in rain related incidents and expressed the determination that affectees will not be left alone in this time of test and will be compensated.
Early Tuesday morning, Administrator Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui tweeted that the situation at the II Chundrigar Road had improved after the water level of the city nullah came down.
Later, he said that the University Road had also been cleared for traffic.
In a statement issued this morning, Wahab said that he visited Malir, District East, District West, District South, and District Central along with provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah and Sharjeel Memon, and reviewed the situation after the rains.
He assured that accumulated water would soon be drained out, adding that teams had been deployed in multiple areas of the city. “Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh have issued special instructions and instructed ministers to supervise the work themselves,” Wahab added.
Meanwhile, data released by the PDMA revealed that Karachi’s Keamari received the highest amount of rainfall (231.75mm) in the last 24 hours followed by District East (203.3mm), Korangi (191mm), District South (132mm), District Central (129.8mm), Malir (98mm) and District West (53.9mm).
Relief, rescue and rehabilitation operation is underway in rain affected districts of Balochistan.
According to details, flood water from a stream entered in five villages of the Winder area of Hub, where a rescue operation was launched and teams rescued more than one thousand stranded people including women and children. The rescued people have been evacuated to a safe place.
According to the Spokesperson Balochistan Provincial Government Farah Azeem Shah, 62 people including women and children have been died and more than 50 injured in rain related incidents in the province so far.
Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, PDMA and district administration are fully engaged in relief and rehabilitation operations in the affected districts of the province. Tents, blankets, medicines and edible items are being provided to the affected people.
In a report on Tuesday, “Radio Pakistan” stated that rain, wind, and thunder showers were expected in Islamabad, upper and central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Balochistan, Kashmir, and lower Sindh during the next 12 hours.
Heavy falls were likely in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, and Kashmir.
Separately, the Met department predicted heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Karachi, Thatta, Badin and Hyderabad from July 14.
Chief meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz said the new weather system headed towards the city would last until July 18-19.
Sarfaraz also said that intermittent rain with thunder was also expected in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tando Mohammad Khan. He also warned of a risk of flooding in low-lying areas in Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced compensation for the citizens killed due to worst rain in Karachi.
It may be recalled that intermittent heavy rains lashed various parts of Karachi due to which many areas of the city were submerged while three people were killed due to electrocution and most parts of the city have been witnessed prolonged power outages.
According to MQM Spokesperson, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had a telephonic conversation.
During the telephonic conversation, Dr. Khalid Maqbool briefed the Prime Minister about the situation in Karachi during the rains.
According to the spokesman, the Prime Minister expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property of the citizens, meanwhile Dr Khalid Maqbool demanded justice for the citizens of Karachi in difficult circumstances.
Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister directed provincial governments and National Disaster Management Authority to ensure protection of people from the heavy rainfall across the country.
In a statement, the Prime Minister said every effort should be made to protect the people and prevent losses as much as possible. He directed NDMA to work with provincial governments and PDMAs for this purpose.
Shehbaz Sharif asked the authorities to immediately shift the stranded people to safer places. He also directed to provide temporary shelter and food to the affected people. He directed that medical teams should be mobilized for emergency medical aid and take measures for timely prevention of epidemic in the rain-hit areas.
The Prime Minister also expressed grief over loss of lives in Karachi and other parts of the country due to the rain. He directed the NDMA to assist the provincial government to protect and rescue the affected people in Sindh.
The Prime Minister assured that the government will use all resources for the protection and assistance of the people.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives due to torrential rains in Karachi.
In a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed the confidence that Sindh government would rise to the occasion and bring life back to normal.