HYDERABAD, Sept 10: Still reeling from the aftermath of the Sept 8 monsoon downpour, Hyderabad’s severely affected parts were on Sunday declared calamity-hit areas by the provincial government which otherwise did precious little to drain out rainwater and repair the civic infrastructure battered by the torrential rains.
The Sindh chief minister, who visited the city, told newsmen that the city government did not have enough suction pumps to drain out the water, adding that some pumps would shortly be dispatched from Karachi.
However, rain-related accidents continued to push up the death toll as a 21-year-old man drowned in a pool of stagnant water near the Latifabad subway. He had apparently jumped into the pool for a swim.
The chief minister said he had informed the prime minister about the Hyderabad city government’s lack of resources. He said funds were being collected by the provincial government and would soon be made available to the city government.
Later, he flew to Tandojam. He is scheduled to visit Tando Allahyar and Mithi.
Meanwhile, Thatta District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi has declared a state of emergency in the district.
Visiting Jhirruk where several villages have been inundated by torrents from the neighbouring Kohistan hills, the nazim made arrangements for draining the water into the Upper K B Feeder.
He found that a section of the National Highway had been submerged near Jhirruk.
Federal Minister for Communications and Works Shamim Siddiqui said he had asked the FWO and NLC to help the city government drain out rainwater.
