HYDERABAD: A strong wind and dust storm visited Hyderabad and other districts on Saturday evening, causing massive disruption in electricity distribution system of the Hyder­abad Electric Supply Company (Hesco).

“Our entire Hesco region is affected. A large number of electric poles connecting 11Kv power supply lines have fallen in almost every district hooked on to Hesco’s network,” said the utility’s spokesman Sadiq Kubar.

The storm began with a speed of 35 to 40 nautical miles per hour. It uprooted billboards and trees at different locations.

And it was followed by rain and outages in most parts of Hyderabad and other districts. It affected even Benazirabad district where power supply system was also hit, according to a resident.

According to Karachi meteorological office, the north-easterly wind storm continued for around one hour in Hyderabad and it was recorded in areas leading up to Benazirabad.

A Karachi-based official said that winds continued to lash at a speed of 20 nautical miles per hour. Met office’s measurements of rainfall could not be known till filing of this report.

Hesco claimed that districts including Thatta, Sujawal, Tando Mohammad Khan, Sanghar, Benazir­abad and Hyderabad were badly hit by the storm. “Several electric poles have fallen. Our grids are working normally and we have power but the poles have fallen thus the breakdown,” said the spokesman.

Trees on Thandi Sarak (Fatima Jinnah road) in Hyderabad fell and in unit-2 of Latifabad. A billboard and a signboard near agriculture complex and at Fateh chowk also fell down. However, no loss of life was reported.

A giant billboard fell on a pick-up but no one was injured. Similarly, a small-sized signboard also blew off, but luckily no one was hit.

Rain continued intermittently in different areas. Wind and dust storm badly affected visibility. Motorcyclists and motorists remained stranded on roads for quite some time until wind force decreased.

Meanwhile, rainfall with thunderstorm hit the Mirpurkhas city and other towns of the district on Saturday evening after sunset, reducing the temperature.

Severe heat spell continued for two weeks and common citizens, including abadgars, expressed their happiness over the rain on Saturday. Owing to the thunderstorm and heavy winds many trees and signboards were uprooted while vehicular traffic came to a stop at places due to fallen trees.

However, as soon as the first drops of rain fell, power supply was suspended in the city and other towns of the district. Rain water accumulated on the main roads, including chowks in the city.

Rainfall was recorded also from Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Jhuddo, Tando Jan Muhammad, Naokot, Kot Ghulam Muhammad, Jhilori, Sindhri and Phuladyyoon Hingorno. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the district till filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2021