03 October 2004	Sunday	17 Shaban 1425

HYDERABAD, Oct 2: Rains lashed interior of Sindh on Saturday, disrupting normal civic life and exposing the fragile sewerage in cities and towns.

It is feared that a tropical cyclone 03A may hit coastal areas, especially Badin, on Sunday.

The late monsoon rains have proved to be a boon as well as bane for farmers. When contacted by telephone, Sindh Abadgar Board office-bearer Syed Nadeem Shah said cotton and chilli crops would be badly affected by the rain. However, another office-bearer of the board, Umer Farooq, said damage to the cotton crop would be negligible.

He said the rains would give a new life to orchards, sugarcane and rice crops.

BADIN: The district's towns and coastal areas received rain with strong winds. The light rain that started at 4pm continued till the filing of this report.

DCO Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, along with District Nazim Kamal Khan Chang and the DPO, visited coastal belt villages and inspected arrangements made to meet any eventuality during the expected cyclone.

He said 68 boats had been made available and fishermen had been advised not to venture into sea. He said a rain relief plan had been implemented and relief camps had been set up.

He said people living in low-lying and coastal areas had been asked to shift to safe places. Some people have already shifted to safe places but majority of them have refused to leave their homes.

THATTA: Intermittent heavy rain that continued the whole day caused problems for people of the district.

Power supply to Thatta, Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro, Jati, Chuhar Jamali and other talukas of the district remained suspended. Low-lying areas and kutchi abadis were submerged by knee-deep water.

Local agronomists feared that the rain would affect paddy crop.

In Sujawal subdivision, irrigation authorities closed the Qadir Dino Shah regulator, which resulted in overflowing of the Fitiha Wah and inundation of the Daro Bathoro Road.

The telephone system in the district remained out of order from 3am to 6pm because an optical fibre line on the National Highway was damaged. The fault was removed by a PTCL team.

Thatta District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi said a special police force had been deployed and medical facilities and other arrangements had been made to meet the cyclone.

SANGHAR: Light rain started early in the morning and continued intermittently till noon in the district, forcing farmers to stop cotton picking. Local people said the rain would benefit sugarcane crop and vegetables.

KHAIRPUR: Rain, coupled with winds, started in the morning and continued intermittently in the district.

According to farmers, the rain will have a positive impact on paddy and sugarcane crops.

Many trees were uprooted in various parts of the district due to the heavy rain and strong winds. Many huts and mud houses collapsed in the Khairpur city and in its outskirts.

Electricity supply to Faiz Ganj, which was cut after power wires fell down in the taluka on Friday night, could not be restored till the filing of this report.

The Khairpur town remained without power for six hours and supply from the city feeder of Hesco Luqman sub-division remained closed for 13 hours.

NAWABSHAH: Nawabshah, Sakrand, Qazi Ahmad, Doulatpur, Daur, 60-Miles, Bandhi and Jam Sahib areas received rains, bringing a pleasant change in the weather.

DADU: Different parts of the district, including Mehar, Faridabad, Thariri Mohabbat, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Sita Road, Piaro Goth, Phulji Station, Dadu, Johi, Sehwan, Khudabad, Bhan, Amri, Sann and Khanote areas, received rain for the third consecutive day.

The Khirthar mountain range also received rain. The rain damaged telephone and power supply systems and affected transport activities.

MIRPURKHAS: Rain in the district on Friday exposed inefficiency of municipal sanitary staff. Intermittent rain continued for some time.

Sanitary staff remained absent from duties on Saturday, multiplying miseries of people who had to wade knee-deep water accumulated on main roads and streets. Agriculture experts said the rain would benefit standing crops.

Reports of rain were also received from Naokot, Jhuddo, Tando Jan Muhammad, Digri, Mirwah Gorchani, Umerkot, Pithoro, Kot Ghulam Muhammad, Samaro, Kunri, Sufi and Shadi Palli.