THATTA: Despite passage of over three weeks after torrential rains in the twin districts of Thatta and Sujawal, no administrative measures have been taken to drain out water from urban and rural areas. People have lost access to numerous villages, particularly those located with in the coastal belt, as all link roads have been submerged.

The villagers commuting to the taluka headquarters of Mirpur Sakro, Ghorabari, Ketibander in Thatta district and Shahbander, Jati and Mirpur Bathoro in Sujawal district are facing hardship in travelling due to stagnant water in and around their villages as well as the main towns.

Affected villagers claimed that they were unable to send their children to schools as most of them had their yards submerged under rainwater and a foul smell was emanating from it.

An activist of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), Ghulab Shah, Haji Haroon Hamati, Nabi Jatt, Abdul Qadir Mirbahar and others told Dawn that the stagnant rainwater had degraded the environment of the affected areas which were hit by mosquitoes and other insects.

They feared spread of epidemics in the area as many children and elderly people had already fallen victim to malaria and water-borne diseases. Livestock, a major livelihood in the area, has also sustained a blow in these areas while crops of banana, sugar cane as well as vegetables and betel leaf (paan) had suffered heavy damage.

In Thatta district headquarters, the buildings of Govt Boys High School, Sheerazi Girls School, Govt Primary School Pir Mohammad Brohi and other educational institutions are still surrounded by rainwater.

Reliable sources told this reporter that a large number of families from the Sujawal and Thatta district coastline have moved to hilly terrains near Dhabeji, Gharo, Filter Plant, Jungshahi, Jhimpir, Mall Mari, Barad Aabad, Sadri and other areas.

Villagers said that many of the families were facing starvation due unavailability of livelihood or financial assistance.

In Ghorabari and Mirpur Sakro, BU-Indo Branch -- a water stream -- is turning to be a potential threat to the nearby localities as the mud-stone dyke had started eroding.

The overflowing Indus water has also entered Haji Haroon Hamati, Khameeso Qambrani and Raheem Panwher villages.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2019