MITHI: A woman and her son suffered serious burns after they were struck by lightning in a village in Kot Ghulam Muhammad taluka as heavy rain battered Thar region and most of the districts in lower Sindh on Sunday.

The rain continued to pour down in almost all areas in Thar including Mithi, Islamkot, Chelhar, Nagarparkar, Diplo, Kaloi, Chhachhro, Dahli, Naukot and their adjoining areas for the eight consecutive day on Sunday.

It caused the drought-hit Tharis to heave a sigh of relief as the recent rains which had arrived after four years of intermittent drought had started making dry pastures and fields green.

Farmers and cattle breeders told this correspondent that almost all desert areas had received the delayed but beneficial rain which would greatly help the growth of traditional crops and fodder.

The hilly area of Nagarparkar has already worn a thin sheet of green after weeklong rains and started attracting tourists and visitors in their hundreds.

BADIN: It rained heavily in Badin district and its adjoining towns of Pangrio, Malkani Sharif, Matli, Kadhan, Nindo Shaher and Tando Bago on Sunday, paralyzing normal life and causing flooding in low-lying areas.

It started on Saturday evening with heavy downpour which damaged a number of mud-thatched houses and destroyed paddy, tomato, chilly, cotton and other crops.

Meanwhile, traffic on Thar coal road has reportedly come to a grinding halt after rain damaged a bridge over Dhoro Puran storm drain near Shadi Large town.

MIRPURKHAS: Heavy rain struck Mirpurkhas and its adjoining towns and villages in the morning, inundating low-lying areas, roads and streets, while lightning struck Ameer Hassam Kaimkhani village in Kot Ghulam Muhammad taluka, causing serious burns to Shrimati Nowo Bheel and her son Rajesh Bheel, 6.

The rain led to suspension of power supply and disrupted normal life in Mirpurkhas, forcing people to remain indoors.

Growers said the recent rainfall would prove beneficial for standing crops of cotton, chili and sugarcane but if it continued for next few days it could damage the crops.

It also rained heavily in Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Tando Jan Muhammad, Jhuddo, Naokot, Kot Ghulam Muhammad, Jhilori, Sind­hri and Hingorno.

The lightning victims were admitted to the KGM taluka hospital.

DADU: It rained heavily in Dadu and Khirthar range areas, filling 10 big and small streamlets which flowed to the brim and fell into a large natural storm drain Nai Gaaj.

The Nai Gaaj has disrupted communication between 100 big and small villages in Kachho belt. In Dadu and its adjoining areas, the heavy rain since last night had inundated roads and streets and choked drainage system. The breakdown in power supply following rain has led to drinking water in the city.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: It started raining lightly at 4.00 am and continued with intervals till 8.30 am in Naushaharo Feroze and its adjoining towns of Tharushah, Bhiria City, Bhiria Road, Kandiaro, Khan Wahan, Pad Eidan, Mithiani, Mehrabpur and other parts of the district, much to the joy of townspeople and villagers.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2016