City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has condoled the deaths of victims of June 23 cyclone, which hit the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan. Addressing a press conference held at his secretariat said "I extend my heartiest condolences to the families of those fell victims to the rain-related disasters", the nazim grieved.
While briefing the media persons on the performance of City District Government Karachi (CDGK) during the natural calamity. The city nazim differing the death toll of over 300 presented by a local NGO said as a result of which 89 lives were lost in the city limits including 60 who died due to collapse of house walls and roofs, 22 because of electrocution and seven killed by flying hoarding.
On property losses the nazim said 1092 houses were completely destroyed while 3043 got partial damages. He said there was no forecast for the devastating storm but it was the CDGK's "proper, fast and pre-emptive" measures, which made the rescue and relief job done.
On relief work initiated by the city government he said total number of relief camps account for 21 in which 12 have been installed in the far-flanged areas like Gadap and Keamari Towns, while 9 are active in the urban centers.
He said CDGK has so far distributed 4350 packets containing sugar, flour, tea, biscuits, oil etc among the 4350 storm-effected families under the relief aid.
Some 800 people had been evacuated from the coastal belt of Bin Qasim and Keamari Towns by the city government as a pre-emptive measure, the nazim said.
Almost 650 evacuees are still living in the CDGK relief camps, he said. CDGK has established 19 medical camps in Gadap, Bin Qasim and Keamari Towns and 3750 effectees have so far been extended medical facilities.
On the hoardings' issue he clarified that a total of 98 signboards had fallen on the tragic day of which only three fell in the jurisdiction of CDGK causing not even a minor injury to anyone. "There are 13 agencies which as per their respective by-laws permit the instalments of hoardings and also control municipal services of the metropolis", the city nazim reminded the mediamen.