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HYDERABAD, March 11: Widespread rainfall in many parts of Sindh flooded streets, choked sewers and damaged crops on Sunday. People’s misery was compounded by power breakdowns.
Rainwater also entered the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan after its dome developed leaks.
Farmers fear that rain at this time of the year are likely to cause heavy damages to mango and date palm orchards and the wheat crop, which is ready to be harvested having received sufficient water this year.
In Hyderabad the meteorological office recorded six millimetre rains by 8 pm at its airport office. The office predicted more rains with thunderstorm in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas and rains and thunderstorm at isolated places in Larkana.
It started drizzling in the morning and gained intensity by the afternoon after at 5 pm heralding a pleasant change in the weather. Almost all the roads were flooded leading to traffic deadlocks.
Power broke down immediately after the rain and the city may face shortage of water on Sunday and Monday after many new and old filter plants and pumping machines at the water reservoirs.
The Hesco Chief Executive Maqbool Khwaja admitted that around 20 per cent feeders had stopped supplying power.
The Wasa Managing Director Mishraz Siddiqui admitted that power breakdown had affected water supply at some reservoirs.
As usual, the rains led to delay in trains arriving from upcountry after the railways’ old signal system tripped because of "some rain-caused problems,” said Mir Mohammad Khaskheli, superintendent of Pakistan Railways, Karachi division.
Agriculturists consider rains at this time of the year to be a serious threat to wheat crop, which have matured in lower Sindh after having received sufficient supply of water.
They believe that it may cause losses to mangos, which have entered flowering stage and can fall prey to a fungal disease called powdery mildeu.
DADU: Moderate downpour lashed Dadu and Jamshoro districts on Sunday causing suspension of electricity, transport and communication systems. Many low-lying areas in Sehwan, Manjhand, Sann, Jamshoro, Kotri, Bhan Syedabad, Khudabad, Dadu, Johi and Mehar were submerged in rainwater.
Rainwater entered the shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan after the newly-built roof of the shrine developed leaks.
The shrine’s custodian Syed Allah Bux Shah blamed use of substandard material in the construction of the shrine’s main dome for the leaks.
SANGHAR: Light intermittent rain started in the afternoon and was continuing till the filing of this report in Shahpur Chakar, Khadro, Khipro, Jhol, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur and Jam Nawaz Ali. Farmers said that the rains would damage mango orchards, rape seed (Sarsoon) and wheat crop.
MIRPURKHAS: Intermittent rains throughout the day. It also caused prolonged power breakdowns in Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts and their adjoining areas.
KHAIRPUR: Moderate rain hit Khairpur, Ghotki and Sukkur districts. It started raining late last night and continued till Sunday evening causing an unexpected increase in cold.
Farmers said that it would harm wheat crop, mango and date palm orchards and create hardships in the supply of vegetables from the fields to the market causing raise in the prices of vegetables.
