Torrential rains claim 80 lives in Sindh: CM Murad

KARACHI: Terming huge losses caused by torrential rains as ‘national disaster’, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday urged the centre to help the provincial government in coping with the rain emergency, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi today, Murad Ali Shah confirmed that as many as 80 people have died during the recent monsoon rains so far in Sindh. He maintained rain-related incidents claimed 47 lives in Karachi, 10 in Hyderabad, 6 in Larkana and 5 in Mirpur Khas.

He maintained that Karachi had received record-breaking rains in the current month. The chief minister said that 604 millimetres of rain was recorded in Karachi during August.

CM Murad Ali Shah said that he had directed all the commissioners to monitor the situation and assess losses to traders in urban areas. The chief minister said that he also sought a report of deranges to crops.

Thursday’s record-breaking torrential downpour in Karachi had left a trail of destruction, leading to the deaths of more than a dozen people and playing havoc with the port city’s ill-maintained and rickety infrastructure.

The city’s major thoroughfares and low-lying areas had remained submerged, reeling from the devastation caused by the rain. Power remained suspended in many areas even after 24 hours. Denizens had complained of disruption in their internet and cellular services.