THATTA, March 2: At least 17 small villages were submerged by seawater, over three dozen kutcha houses collapsed and items worth lacs of rupees were washed away when a tidal wave hit the coastline of the Keti Bundar taluka early Thursday morning.

No casualty has been reported but many people in these areas are missing.

The inundated villages included Abdul Wahab Dablo, Ali Hassan Dablo, Karami Dablo, Ramzan Sehto, Qadir Bux Baloch, Saleh Jamote and many villages of Kharochan.

Younus Ghambir, coordinator of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Keti Bundar chapter, and Musarrat Mandhro, Mobilizer Emergency Centre, Keti Bundar, told journalists at the Thatta Press Club that due to the sudden strike of high waves, hundreds of fishermen boarded their vessels in haste and drove to safe places.

They said many displaced fishermen had been shifted to makeshift arrangements in Keti Bundar and Mirpur Sakro.

They said that though no casualty had been reported, a number of people were missing.