Nine killed as rains, hailstorm batter Hyderabad, other Sindh areas

HYDERABAD: At least nine people were killed as heavy rains lashed Hyderabad and other Sindh areas in the past 48 hours, with gusts of winds, hailstorm and lightning piling misery on people.

On Tuesday afternoon, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Kotri received heavy showers and hailstorm. Hailstones the size of golf balls damaged several vehicles and windows in Hyderabad’s SITE area. Gusty winds uprooted trees and damaged vehicles.

The inclement weather paralyzed life and disrupted the electricity system of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) in lower parts of Sindh, leaving millions of people without electricity for hours.

The power supply was suspended from 53 feeders of Hesco, and a tower of the 66Kv Mithi-to-Tando Jan Mohammad transmission line was also damaged in New Kot and area.

Loss of lives

In Kotri city, the heavy rainfall killed three children and seven other people injured. Police said the children, identified as 10-year-old Farhana, 11-year-old Asma and 12-year-old Muhammad Yusuf — were playing when the wall came crashing down, leaving them dead on the spot.

A tragic incident took place in the Tharparkar district, where six people died due to lightning.

Among residents of the Sethar village who were killed by lightning were 16-year-old Vivek, 15-year-old Govind, 35-year-old Santosh, 30-year-old Lalu, 30-year-old Velu Kolhi and 20-year-old Pulji Kolhi, while the injured include Jhaman, Vilji, Nihal, Somaar, Basant, Tago, Tejo and Villow.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Meteorological Department has predicted rain and thunderstorm in different areas in the next 24 hours.