SUKKUR, Feb 18: A severe hailstorm coupled with heavy rains lashed out at different districts of upper Sindh on Tuesday while rains were also reported from Dadu and Tharparkar districts.
A man died and six sustained injuries after being stricken by lightning in Rohri before the rain.
Several people were injured and various mud houses collapsed in the hailstorm and heavy rains that lashed out at Ghotki, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Khairpur and Jacobabad districts.
The stormy weather disrupted civic life and destroyed the stalls at the Horse and Cattle Show in Jacobabad.
The strong winds also uprooted several mango trees in Khairpur district, particularly in Pir-jo-Goth area.
Residents of Nara area in Khairpur district said the hailstorm damaged wheat crop.
The power supply to all the cities and towns of upper Sindh was suspended and several electric polls in Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad were uprooted.
Roads and streets, specially in low laying areas in Sukkur and other cities and towns of upper Sindh, were inundated, causing difficulties for vehicular traffic and pedestrians.
The victims of the lightening incident were sitting at a hotel in Rohri Locoshed when lightning struck them.
As a result Gul Hassan Mochi died and six others, including Serwer Shaikh and Ghous Bukhsh, were injured. They were shifted to the Rohri Taluka Hospital.
The rainfall began at about 4pm with strong winds and hailstorm and was continuing till the filing of this report.
LARKANA: Hailstorm and heavy rains lashed out at entire district of Larkana on Tuesday evening.
Around 10 kutcha houses were damaged in Ratodero but no casualty was reported.
Drainage system failed to cope with the heavy rains in Larkana city where majority of roads and streets were inundated. Power breakdown further aggravated the situation.
Reports received from different parts of the district said that electricity went off with the first drop of rain.
The rain and hailstorm brought cold wave to the district.
The reports of hailstorm poured in from Ratodero, Kambar, Warah, Mirokhan and Shahdadkot.
The district has received the fall hailstones of a gram’s size after a gap of 10 years.
JACOBABAD: Heavy rain, coupled with strong winds, lashed the Sindh Horse and Cattle Show Festival on Tuesday, damaging stalls and valuable goods.
The rain, which continued for two hours, paralysed the civic life in the area as rainwater inundated houses and roads. Several mud houses also collapsed.
The powers supply to the area was also disrupted and it could not be restored for the whole day.
DADU: Various parts of Dadu district — including Sehwan, Bhan Saeedabad, Kotri, Jamshoro, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Johi, Mehar, Phulji and Sita Road — received heavy rains on second consecutive day on Tuesday.
Due to heavy rains, power supply / telephone system and vehicular traffic remained suspended for the whole day.
MITHI: Mithi, Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Chhachhro, Chelhar, Umerkot and other areas of Tharparkar district received moderate rains on Monday.
The rain started at about 11am and continued intermittently till 8pm.
Scores of goats, sheep and donkeys perished due to rain and cold wind.
However as it is not a seasonal rain, no crop can be sown after it.
