THATTA, Aug 11: Efforts of the highway authorities and Thatta taluka municipal administration to build storm water drains along the newly constructed highway and drain out rainwater through an excavator and five mobile pumping machines proved futile here on Saturday.

The National Bank main branch, main telephone exchange, MCB Bank, Thatta press club, Shahi Bazaar, all the commercial centres and shops along both sides of the highway were still under knee-deep water.

People of the area claimed that they were facing great problems due to the ill-planned construction by raising unnecessarily the height of the highway above the plinth level of the shops and buildings. Meanwhile, stagnant water in shantytowns has further multiplied problems.

Frequent power failures and shortage of potable water have made the life of citizens miserable.

Intermittent rains in Jangshahi, Sonda, Makli, Jhampir, Jherruk, coastal areas of Keti Bunder, Kharochhan and Mirpur Sakro, till the filing of this report, has made the situation worse.