HYDERABAD / KARACHI, July 30: Hundreds of passengers were stranded when railways authorities suspended the operation of upcountry trains and halted down-country trains at Hyderabad and Kotri following reports that three spans of the Ranpathani bridge, 80kms from Karachi, had been submerged by flood water on Sunday evening.

Enraged travellers staged a protest at a Karachi station and ransacked a booking office until the authorities told them that their tickets would be refunded. At least 11 upcountry trains put off their departure from Karachi.

Similar scenes of chaos and protest were in evidence at the Hyderabad station where passengers travelling to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Okara, Faisalabad and Multan were informed, much to their consternation, that there would be no upcountry train coming from Karachi. Passengers complained that ticket refunds were not being offered by the authorities.

A spokesman for the Pakistan Railways said a team of engineers had reached the bridge.

“Three pillars of the Ranpathani bridge have been submerged by flood water. We suspended the operation of the upcountry trains at 7.30pm. Since the flood water disturbed the alignment of the tracks, we think it is not safe to run trains over the bridge,” said an official.