The ADB delegation led by the Country Director visited the affected areas of the two districts. "Damage caused by floods in Sindh is heavy in nature specially to the agriculture sector which needs to be restored through development of infrastructure and rehabilitate affected people on sustainable basis," he observed during the meeting with the provincial government officials after the visit. In his briefing to the Bank's delegation, the DCO Thatta Mohammed Jaffer Abbasi said that the monsoon rains which started on 13th August and continued till 12th of September, brought saline water through LBOD's (Left Bank Outfall Drain) drains and caused inundation of Jati and Mirpur Bathoro talukas of the district. He said that the floods played havoc by hitting 629 villages and sweeping away over 18,000 houses Besides, he said at least 18 persons died and over 0.2 million people were rendered homeless while over 0.1 million acres of paddy crops was completely damaged. The rains also completely damaged over 600 schools, he maintained. "Many of the flood victims have not yet been able to return to homes as their homes are still under flood water which will take more time to be drained out to the sea," he added.