MITHI: Heavy rain and strong winds battered several parts of Thar, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad and their adjo­in­ing areas on Monday, upr­o­oting dozens of tress and sign­boards yet bringing rel­ief to lower Sindh residents who faced water shortage due to a variety of reasons.

In Thar, several parts of Mithi, Diplo, Islamkot and Kaloi talukas received bou­n­tiful rain coupled with thun­derstorm.

The rain bro­ught smiles to the faces of Tharis who had been facing drought conditions for past many months.

BADIN: Moderate to heavy rainfall lashed Badin, Tando Bago, Talhar, Malani Sharif, Kadhero, Pangrio and their adjoining areas, ending hot and humid spell which had inconvenienced people for the past several days.

It started raining heavily at 7pm and continued intermittently for an hour. Elect­ri­city supply was badly affe­cted soon after the rain hit parts of the district.

MIRPURKHAS: Light rain coupled with strong winds hit Mirpurkhas and adjoining towns of Mirwah Gorchani, Digri, Tando Jan Mohammad, Jhuddo, Nao­kot, Kot Ghulam Moham­mad, Jhilori, Sindhri and Hingorno in the evening, uprooting dozens of tress and signboards.

The showers dropped temperatures and rid people of severe heat spell they had been braving for the past three months.

The winds caused great inconvenience to people as it led to suspension of power supply and blockage of roads with signboards and trees that had fallen on them at various places.

Shopkeepers pulled down shutters of their shops and ran home in panic, deserting markets and bazaars.

HYDERABAD: It started raining at around 7.45pm and continued till 8.30pm without break in the city and its adjoining areas, breaking the long dry and hot spell people had been experiencing since Ramazan.

No damage of life and property was reported from any part of the city. Local Met office recorded 13mm rainfall. Temperature was 43 degrees Celsius before the rain.

Immediately after the rain, an electricity breakdown was reported in different areas of the city as 16 power supply feeders of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company remained shut and 13 had developed faults.

Acting mayor of Hyder­abad declared rain emergency to ensure Hyderabad Municipal Corporation staff was available to tackle rain-related issues.

Meanwhile, a boy identified as Lavraj, a first-year student in Bilawal Medical College, Jamshoro, died of heatstroke in Kotri before the onset of rain on Monday.

He fell down while he was waiting for bus and was taken to a hospital where he could not survive. He was resident of Mithi.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2019