Hyderabad: The Sindh Minister for Rehabilitation Makhdoom Mehboobuz Zaman has said though the first spell of heavy monsoon downpour claimed 6 lives and damaged 13 houses in Hyderabad division, the situation remained largely under control as rainwater was timely drained.

Chairing a meeting at Shahbaz Hall of Shahbaz Building and while talking to the media here on Saturday, the minister appreciated the performance of the local authorities in Hyderabad, Sukkur and other cities.

He directed the officials of the Sindh Irrigation Department to expedite the work of re-inforcement of the embankments of the Indus River which had attained medium flood in Sindh.

Zaman said the officials had also been asked to complete the survey of damages caused by the rainfall so far.

He said the maintenance of some levees was under the management of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

The minister said the irrigation staff should pay attention to some weak points on the embankments in addition to FP Bund in Dadu distr
ict where encroachment also existed.

Commissioner Hyderabad Division Bilal Ahmed Memon told the meeting that the highest amount of rain in Hyderabad division was recorded in Johi, Dadu district, at around 100 millimeter.

He claimed that the condition of the FP embankment was much better than before while the MNV Drain was also properly releasing water.

The Commissioner briefed that 298 sensitive points with regard to urban flooding had been identified in the Hyderabad division which consisted of 9 districts.

He told that 837 camps for shelter, 78 camps for livestock and 241 medical camps had been proposed for the division in the event of urban flooding.The meeting was briefed that 10 sensitive areas were marked along the Indus River where the stone pitching work had been completed.