LARKANA, Dec 6: Widespread rain, which lashed Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts on Saturday like the rest of the province, caused visible damages to the thousands year old ruins of Moenjodaro on Saturday.

The rain started early on Saturday morning and continued with brief intervals till the filing of this reports, affecting the main stupa, walls and other structures.

Water pooled on the stupa’s platform caused fissures and gullies and the rainwater accumulated in other low-lying areas damaged the DK area and HR area.

The curator of Moenjodaro, who was the only officer available at the ruins for comments, expressed helplessness in protecting the structures from rain. “Under the circumstances, we can not undertake repair work on wet structures as the rain continues,” he said.

He confirmed damages to walls and structures in DK area. “I can not touch any structure because my job is restricted to administration and protection only,” he said.

The gushing rainwater had created fissures in the ground as it ran down towards low-lying areas.

Sources in the Archaeology Department said that the government had not yet released funds to the National Fund for Moenjodaro (NFM) and just appointed the project director and other staff. How could the site be protected from the onslaught of rains without funds, the sources said.

With Eid round the corner, number of visitors to the ruins would double and make the wet walls and structures prone to damages.

The department was contemplating imposing section 144 during Eid days but it would hurt the contractors who had obtained contract for entry tickets, the curator said.

The rain paralysed routine life in Larkana and flooded many low-lying areas thanks to insufficient arrangements by taluka municipal administration for pumping out water.

Work on mega drainage project compounded problems and led to traffic jams on many roads. Many areas had been without electricity for 12 hours.

Reports from Qambar and Shahdadkot said that the downpour began early in the morning and continued till the filing of this report.

Power supply to Shahdadkot town came on after 12 hours while Qambar town was plunged into darkness as it started raining and continued till 6 pm.