Floods caused losses of Rs860bn: Sharjeel

KARACHI: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon unveiled the initial report regarding devastation caused by unprecedented heavy rains in all 30 districts of Sindh province from July to August 2022.

The losses including deaths of 402 persons and injuries to 1055 others. Besides heavy financial losses Rs860 billion as a result of displacement of thousands of families, deaths of thousands of animals, damages to around 1.5 million houses and destruction of standing crops on 3.17 million acres of land.

Besides the deaths of 402 persons, injuries to 1055 others and displacement of thousands of families, the minister said that the unprecedented heavy rains caused deaths to 11734 animals worth Rs903.96 million, damages to around 1.5 million house worth Rs450 billion and destruction of standing crops on 3171,726 acres of land worth Rs335.44 billion.

Giving details about destruction of standing crops, the minister said that heavy rains destructed 100 percent standing cotton crop on 1467579 acres and dates’ orchards on 101379 acres of land causing financial losses of Rs205461.06 million and Rs7096.53 million respectively to growers of the province.

The heavy rains also washed away 71.46 percent rice crop on 1063273 acres worth Rs. 52100.37 million and 21.78 percent cane crop standing on 158916 acre worth Rs11918.7 million, the minister said and added that Kharif crops including vegetables, tomatoes, chilies, onions and others also received heavy losses worth billions of rupees.

The minister said that unprecedented heavy rains also damaged 570 roads of 2281.5 kilometers worth Rs22.8 billion in Sindh which included 101 roads and 20 bridges of 843.5 kilometers in Hyderabad division, 256 roads and 18 bridges of 1002 kilometers in Sukkur division, 125 roads of 146.8 kilometers in Shaheed Benazirabad division, 12 roads and six bridges of 96 kilometers in Larkana division and 23 roads of 146.22 kilometers in Mirpurkhas division.

The extraordinary rains also badly damaged the road, bridges and sewerage system of Karachi division worth Rs50 billion, the minister said. About relief measures for rain affected people, the minister informed that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was personally monitoring and supervising the relief activities in all over the province. The armed forces including Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Army have also been engaged in rescue and relief work in affected areas of the province, he said.

The minister said that Sindh government has so far arranged 95770 tents, 163296 mosquito nets, 45960 plastic mats, 3820 folding beds, 52000 ration bags and other necessary goods while National Disaster Management Authority has provided 8658 tents, 1900 community shelters, 7461 mosquito nets, 10877 canvass sheets, 1000 blankets and other necessary items to Sindh government for onward distribution in rain-affected people.

However, the minister said that provincial government required three million more mosquito nets, one million tents, canvass sheets, kitchen sets, 0.5 million plastic mats, 0.5 million woolen mattresses and other necessary items besides, two million ration bags for distribution among rain-hit people of the province.