BADIN, July 26: At least nine people were killed on Saturday as the death toll rose to 16 in three days rain that played havoc in the district.

A total of 3,000 villagers were shifted to relief camps on Saturday and 7,000 villagers are still marooned following the heavy rain that continued for the third consecutive day.

Seven bodies were recovered from the Singari Mori Drain near Kadhan on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Matlab Bengali, Sheeraz Bengali, Ms Raj Bai Solangi, Sajan Bengali, Aafiat, Bhutho Bohar and Asia.

The bodies of two women were recovered from the Sim Drain.

In Chak-5 Golarchi, Mangal Kolhi, Maria Kolhi and an infant, Adnan Pathan, were killed.

In Kadhan, the bodies of Bhutto Bohar and her daughter, Ayesha, 22, were swept away by rainwater and a child was recovered by army personnel. The body of a teenaged boy, who died after a wall collapsed on him, was also recovered.

Ms Hajiani Ahmadani died in roof collapse in the Shadi Large town.

According to Sindh assistant relief commissioner Ali Nawaz Mallah, 150 millimetre rainfall was recorded in Badin till 8am on Saturday.

Three talukas of the district — Shaheed Fazil Rahu, Badin, and Tando Bago — were badly affected. The rain destroyed crops in these talukas.

Sindh relief commissioner Manzoor Hussain Bhutto after visiting relief camps in the district held a meeting with the district administration and the Nazim on Saturday morning.

He directed the district administration for early assessment of the losses so that victims could be compensated.

Talking to this correspondent, Mr Bhutto said at least Rs10 million was immediately required to face the situation. However, he added, Rs5 million was released for relief work.

In the Badin town, low-lying areas were seen inundated with knee-deep water.

In the Bhurgari locality, seven houses of the Mallah community collapsed.

District Nazim Kamal Khan Chang said 12 union councils were inundated. He said 300,000 villagers were rendered homeless and 100,000 were caught up in the rainwater.

AFP adds: Army personnel have been called to rescue thousands of people stranded in parts of southern Sindh due to the continued heavy rain as the death toll rose to 37 in three days.

Sindh government spokesman Salahuddin Haider told AFP in Karachi on Saturday that hundreds of army personnel and civil administration officials were busy in rescuing the people caught up in low-lying areas of Badin.

Edhi officials said they had sent 20 ambulances and tents to aid the rain victims.

Rescuer Rizwan Edhi said the situation in Badin was bad as it was still raining there and they were facing difficulties in rescue work.