August 11, 2007	Saturday	Rajab 26, 1428

JACOBABAD, Aug 10: Rain continued to lash different parts of Sindh, including Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Dadu and Naushahro Feroze districts, on Friday as three children died in a roof collapse and two from snakebite on Thursday.

Three children of a family were killed and a woman seriously injured when roof of their house collapsed during rain in Aqil Buledi village in Mouladad area of Jacobabad district. Meanwhile, two other people died in Makli due to snakebite.

The family of Mohammad Usman Buledi was asleep when it began raining heavily. The roof caved in killing on spot three children Soni 12, seven-month-old Sabira and six-month-old Arif on spot.

Waziran w/o Mohammad Usman was shifted to the Civil Hospital Jacobabad in injured condition. She was said to be out of danger.

Our Thatta correspondent adds: Residents of about a dozen villages in the vicinity of Keti Bunder took refuge on the embankments of a dyke following two breaches in it near Johu and Tika villages early on Thursday.

The dyke is meant to protect coastal settlements from oceanic waters, particularly during high tides. High velocity winds and intermittent rain since last 36 hours has resulted in erosions in the dyke which later developed breaches due to striking of strong oceanic tides.

Johu, Khato, Moosa Katiar, Marghar and other villages came under water forcing people to shift to safer embankments.

The DCO Thatta Usman Panhwar when contacted termed the information ‘incorrect’ saying it was a routine high tide happening in the area.

Coastal towns Var, Ghulamullah, Mirpur Sakro, Garho and its surrounding settlements were still under rainwater and people were facing hardships due to increasing insanitation and unhygienic conditions.

Situation in Thatta town has not improved as the entire Shahi Bazaar and trade centres on the National Highway have been submerged in rainwater.

Meanwhile, Ms Sakina, Abdul Latif, Patafi Rind, Haji Jakhro, Juman and Karim were brought to the Civil Hospital Makli and Chuhar Jamali Taluka Hospital from Faqir Jo Goth and other villages due to snakebite.

Haji Jakhro and Patafi Rind died in Makli Hospital.

Our Dadu correspondent adds: Heavy rain and strong winds compounded the miseries of thousands of flood-affectees living on the embankment of Manchhar Lake, flood protective bunds, Main Nara Valley Drain and Sim Nullah.

A number of makeshifts abodes had been swept away in storm leaving people in the open sky.

Our Mirpurkhas correspondent adds: Intermittent rainfall continued in the district paralyzing life in urban and rural areas.

People preferred to remain indoors as business activities were adversely affected.