One-kilometre stretch of National Highway has been swept away by flashflood between Oungar to Jhirk of Thatta district as a result of unprecedented heavy rainfalls in the area Monday night. The flashflood also damaged the road at different places in Thatta district, a spokesman of the District Government Thatta informed on Tuesday.
The workforce of National Highway and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority as well as the Right Bank Outfall Drain Project has been deployed to ensure immediate repair of the damaged portions of the highway and restore the blocked traffic. Sindh Minister for Jail, Sadiq Ali Memon also visited the spot and inspected the ongoing repair work.
Talking to media persons, the minister recommended Sindh government to declare entire district of Thatta as calamity hit and provide sufficient funds to carry out relief and rehabilitation of the affected people and reconstruction of damaged infrastructures in the district.
The provincial government had earlier declared only 10 Union Council of Jati Taluka as calamity hit but after receiving heavy rains the flashflood caused devastation in the entire district, the minister said and informed that standing crops have been completely destroyed and tens of thousands of people of the district have been affected. The minister said that he visited the affected area to personally see the devastation caused by heavy rain.
He said that the District Administration Thatta, Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority, Management of RBOD and National Highway Authority have been engaged to protect the National Highway from further damage and its repair. Responding to a question, the minister said that though at present traffic has been restored between Hyderabad and Thatta but it needed major repair.
Replying to another question, the provincial minister said that as 20 decanting pumps are working round the clock to drain out the standing water from Thatta City and hoped that the city area will be cleared within 24 hours from standing water in case it receives no further rainfalls. To another question, he said that Monday's torrential rain has set new targets of losses as such revenue department has been asked to reassess the losses and identify immediate relief work so that the affected people could get early relief. However, the minister said that provision of tents, food and drinking water are the first priority of the government adding that the government has been providing these facilities to old and new affectees equally.