MITHI: A massive dust storm hit Tharparkar, Badin and Hyderabad districts on Sunday, uprooting trees, signboards and blowing away roofs of mud-thatched houses.

The strong winds, which started to blow at a great velocity, paralysed life in the desert region, disrupting routine life in towns and villages which were already suffering from the worst drought conditions.

The dust storm damaged bushes and grass which had just started sprouting after rains some three weeks ago. Telecommunication services and supply of electricity were also disrupted.

BADIN: Strong winds started to blow in the morning and continued till 5pm with brief intervals, causing a tall monument to cave in in Talhar town. No causality was reported. The monument was built at a cost of Rs10.20 million.

The dust storm did damage to recently planted paddy seedlings and uprooted trees and roofs of thatched houses in the union councils of Bhugra Memon, Ahmed Rajo, and Dodo Soomro, and other villages of coastal areas.

Strong winds caused tide in Left Bank Outfall Drain, sowing panic in people of the area, and pounded Kadhan, Golarchi, Badin, Talhar and other areas of the district.

HYDERABAD: The dust storm, which had gripped Hyderabad and adjoining areas for the second consecutive day, caused a signboard to fall on Thandi Sarak road and badly affected visibility. Most people preferred to remain indoors. The storm’s speed was recorded at 40 nautical miles per hour.

According to Sindh Chamber of Agriculture vice president Nabi Bux Sathio, the dust storm will damage cotton, chilli and sugar cane crop in Thatta, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Badin.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2019