THATTA: A large population in about 200 villages in three coastal talukas of Thatta district remains marooned in the wake of recent torrential rain and wait anxiously for government help.

A team of media persons from Thatta on Wednesday visited deltaic villages of Ali Mohammad Katiyar, Anb Khaskheli, Saud Perozani, Majeed Wenjharo, Peeru Perozani, Essa Rajpar, Haji Qasim Wadhelo, Abu Bakar Khaskheli, Mohammad Khan Hajano, Zahid Baloch, Usman Marvo, Alu Somalani, Mohammad Notkani, Mehmood Jat and others in Keti Bandar, Kharochan, Ghorabari and Mirpur Sakro talukas and found houses and standing crops inundated by rainwater.

The team found 15 Dehs (Revenue Administrative Unit) of union councils of Moal, Bet Meyar, Khann, Baghan, Buhara, Chowbandi and Ketibandar were the worst affected as the rainwater and the back-flow of water had caused Baghaan, Garho, Oachato and Balki saline water drains to overtop their banks and wreak havoc in the areas.

A newly built-up bridge on Ochato Baghan drain was washed away by strong currents of rainwater and locals warned if the situation was not brought under control in time the things would get out of hands.

The marooned families said that they were starving and expressed fears the situation could become disastrous if oceanic high tide also joined stagnant rainwater gushing into nearby villages.

The villagers Qadir Khaskheli, Ali Muhammad, Mohammad Siddique and others told media persons that no elected representative and official of revenue and other departments had so far brought any help to the trapped population.

They appealed to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to provide them tents and food and make arrangements for shifting them to safer places till normality returned to the area.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2022