BADIN, July 27: An emergency was declared in Sindh on Sunday in view of the devastating rains in the province as the death-toll in rain-related incidents rose to 59.

Thousands of people were still stranded in the Badin district. Five bodies were recovered from different parts of the district on Sunday.

Talking to Dawn, a number of affected people in Badin, Lowari Sharif, Ahmad Rajo, Nindo Shaher and Kadhan rejected the civil administration’s claim that sufficient arrangements were made to rescue the marooned people.

They said the area was inaccessible as no vehicles could reach the affected villages.

It is estimated that about 130,000 people are caught up in their inundated homes and if they are not rescued within two days casualties figure could rise to hundreds.

Declaring emergency, Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar called off the cabinet meeting which was scheduled to be held in Karachi on Monday. He directed ministers and advisers to visit their respective districts and set up camps to mitigate the sufferings of people.

Four of the five dead in Badin on Sunday were identified as Nazeeran, 8, and her brother Mohammad Hussain, 6, in Jhanjho Dal village; Razia Kapri, 6, and Karim Bux Khaskheli of Pangrio town.

This correspondent visited inundated village of Kadhan from where heavy military vehicles were taking the stranded people to the Mirza Sugar Mills point.

A large number of other victims came on foot to the Badin city, leaving their belongings behind. Nathoo Kolhi, Pandhi Mallah and other victims said they started their journey on Saturday morning after their villages were flooded. They said the whole Wagho-Daho area was under water. They said many villagers had climbed trees to save their lives.

They deplored that rescuers had still not reached Lakhoo Pir and other affected villages. Sources said none of the civil administration officials or any elected members could reach Kadhan either.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad announced establishment of a relief fund with an initial amount of Rs50 million for the rain victims.

The Mirza Sugar Mills has also been partially damaged. The general manager of the mill, Syed Abid Hussain, claimed that 30,000 sugar-bags worth Rs350 million had been damaged. He said the number of motorboats being used in the relief operation was not sufficient to cope with the situation.

The rain-hit villagers have taken refuge in private buildings of Kadhan as the government buildings, which were turned relief camps, were already occupied.

There was no ration in the town nor any arrangements were made in this regard as the town had been cut off from all other towns of the district.

Telephone, power and other facilities were affected but telephone exchanges in the district were made functional by Saturday night.

Edhi Foundation sent 20 ambulances and distributed cooked rice among the victims.

Col Sakhawat, in charge of the army rescue team, said they had rescued some 10,000 people from deep waters, mostly from Behdmi and other areas of Kadhan.

He said ration would not serve purpose and only cooked food was needed for the marooned people.

All the government schools and other buildings in Badin have been occupied by the victims. As the number of victims arriving in Badin kept growing, they were being shifted to relief camps in Tando Bago, Talhar and other towns.

The provincial governor who reportedly flew for Badin from Karachi, had to return back following a hostile weather.

SUKKUR: Two boys were electrocuted and another was seriously injured when a 11,000KV wire fell on a village near Naushahro Feroze on Sunday.