KARACHI - In the wake of heavy rains, the Sindh government has declared emergency in the province and put the provincial departments and district administrations on an alert.
Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah instructed the relief and irrigation departments, commissioners and deputy commissioners to be ready to help people affected by rains and take necessary measures to drain out water from the cities, towns and low-lying areas. Besides, leaves of employees of the irrigation and other departments have been cancelled. The commissioners and deputy commissioners have been directed to remain present in their districts during rains.
The chief minister ordered the Irrigation Department to keep vigilant as possible erosion in canals or drains and breaches might cause more losses.
President Asif Ali Zardari had directed the Irrigation Department to complete rehabilitation and strengthening of natural waterways and irrigation canals by June 30 last year. Although the deadline has lapsed a year ago, the Irrigation Department has struggled to complete short-term plan that include strengthening of embankments and removal of hurdles coming in way of natural waterways in the province.
Besides, the strengthening of Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) has not been completed so far. Over a million people in Badin district suffered displacement due to breaches in LBOD in 2011.
The chief minister directed all departments and agencies to be fully ready to meet the challenges in view of past experiences. He stressed that all departments and everybody concerned should remain fully prepared.
Meanwhile, Local Government Minister Owais Mozaffar visited various areas in Karachi and found many employees of KMC absent from duty. The minister removed KMC Administrator Hashim Raza Zaidi and Municipal Commissioner Masood Alam Khan over their negligence during rain emergency situation in Karachi.
Meanwhile, heavy downpour claimed 16 lives in rain-related incidents in Karachi.
Basharat, 25, and 22-year-old Danish Riaz Khan died due to thunder electrocution in Saiful Mari Goth. In another incident, 25-year-old Sunny died due to electrocution in Nazimabad area. Police said he used to work at a church.
Eight-year-old Abdul Rehman also died from electrocution at his house in Paposh Nagar area of Nazimabad.
Two minor children drowned in a nullah in Korangi area. Rescuers and volunteers managed to retrieve one boy, while search for the other was underway.
Fifty-year-old Liaquat died from electrocution at his shop in Liaquatabad area. A teenager, who has yet to be identified, also died from electrocution in Malir City area. Another teenager died of electrocution in Korangi area. Another man died from electrocution in Defence Housing Authority. In a slum of Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, four-year-old Suleman died after the roof of his apartment caved in.
Similarly, an unidentified woman drowned in a nullah in Orangi Town. An eight-year-old boy drowned in a nullah near Banaras locality. Another boy drowned in a nullah in Shadman Town.
In Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, ten people were wounded when roof of a filling station collapsed. Two more children drowned in Malir.