GROUP MEMBERS:

Abiha Fatima (UE-049)

Mahnoor Nasir (UE-055)
CLASS: B.E URBAN
BATCH: 2012-2013
COURSE TITLE: Advanced
Technologies & Disaster
Management
COURSE CODE: UE-417

Mirpurkhas
Introduction:
Mirpukhas is a city in the province of Sindh in Pakistan. It is the capital city of Mirpurkhas
District. It is the fourth largest city in the province with an estimated population of 1,412,435
(2010). Its soil is fertile and the city is known for its horticultural produce and farming, as
well as mango cultivation.

Geography:
1. Name, Location, Boundary and Area:
The name of the district is derived from its Headquarters town Mirpurkhas which was
part of the former Tharparkar district.
District Mirpurkhas lies in 68 0 59 3 to 690 16 53 east longitudes and 240 48 33 to
250 48 7 north latitudes. This district is bounded by district Umerkot on the east, district
Sanghar on the north, district Tando Allahyar on the west, district Badin on the south-west
and district Tharparkar & Badin on the south. The total area of the district is 2925 Sq.
kilometers.
2. Physical Features/ Topography:
The district was created in 1990, prior to that it was a part of the former Tharparkar
district. The area of the district has been formed by the alluvial deposit of the river Indus. It
has a good agricultural and irrigated area in the main portion and the vast stretches of the
vegetation lined up in many places with avenue of trees. The land structure of this district
comprises of plain fertile lands suitable for agriculture. Due to a well-organized canal system,
the whole district has irrigation facility resulting in the grasslands and irrigated crop lands.
3. Rivers and Streams:
There is no river or stream in the district. The branches of Nara canal irrigate the
district. The Jamrao west branch canal flows along the western boundary of the district and
irrigate west part of the district.
4. Climate:
The climate of the district is extreme, both in winters and summers. The summer heats
are considerably neutralized by constant blows of sea breeze from the south-west. The
months from April to October are hot. The rainfall varies from year to year in the monsoon
months between July and September. The winter rains are insignificant. The average rainfall
at Mirpurkhas is around 230 millimeters. The mean maximum and minimum temperature and
precipitation recorded at Chhor is given blow in the table 1:
1 | Page

Table: 1 District Mirpurkhas

Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Annual

Mean Temperature(0C)
Maximum Minimum
26.49
5.42
29.16
8.71
34.52
14.29
39.12
20.12
41.49
24.50
39.72
27.17
36.19
26.82
34.51
25.73
35.70
23.88
37.12
18.54
32.98
11.89
27.95
6.62
34.52
17.84

Precipitation
(Millimeters)
0.62
1.96
4.55
3.50
2.97
19.74
79.03
74.59
82.95
2.07
3.57
0.90
231.97

Relative
(%)
45.52
44.45
42.55
42.73
46.81
56.40
67.23
70.15
64.76
50.78
44.58
46.84
52.11

Humidity

Type of housing stock:

1. Level of congestion persons and rooms:
More than 65 percent of the housing units in Mirpurkhas district are single room
houses. The percentage in rural areas is higher at 74.83 as compared to that in urban
areas at 38.70. On the reverse, the percentage of houses with two to four rooms is
more than double in urban areas at 55.96 in comparison to that in rural areas at 24.52.
The houses of five and more rooms are only 1.91 percent in urban areas. In 1998
housing census, the number of rooms per housing unit in the district was 1.5 while
persons per room 4.07. However, number of rooms per housing unit in urban areas
was 2.1 as against 1.3 in rural areas whereas the number of persons per room is higher
in rural areas at 4.23 in contrast to 3.62 in urban areas. Table 2 gives of the indices of
congestion in 1998 housing census.
Table 2: Indices of congestion in 1998
Level of congestion

All areas

Rural

Urban

Persons per housing unit

Persons per room
Rooms per housing unit
Housing units with one room
(percentage)
housing units with 2-4 rooms
(percentage)
Housing units with 5 rooms and
more (percentage)

6.1
4.07
1.5
65.11

5.5
4.23
1.3
74.83

7.6
3.62
2.1
38.70

32.98

24.52

55.96

1.91

0.65

5.34

2 | Page

2. Period of construction:
More than half of the owned housing units: 54.34 percent, enumerated in 1998
housing census, were built before 10 years, during March. 1978-98, out of which
24.30 percent during the last 5-10 years and 29.20 percent during last 5 years.
However, 45.65 percent of the total housing units in the district were built more than
10 years earlier. Only 1.55 percent of the total houses were found under construction.
3. Construction material of outer wall:
There is a marked variation in the qualitative indices of construction material between
urban and rural areas. In urban area 81.54 percent of the housing units have the
standard pucca walls made of baked bricks/ blocks and stones with cement bonding,
14.83 percent have walls of un-baked bricks/ earth bonded and 3.10 percent have
wooden walls. In contrast, the rural areas have only 13.75 percent of the walls in the
standard category of baked bricks/ blocks and stones with cement bonding and 52.42
percent are made of un-baked bricks with mud bonding. The wooden category is
27.27 percent. The un-specified category of material was used in the construction of
outer walls by 6.58 percent housing units. Table 3 gives the details of the construction
material used in outer walls of the housing units in the district.
Table 3: construction material used in outer walls
Construction material of walls
Baked bricks/ blocks/ stones
Unbaked bricks/ Earth bond
Wood/ Bamboo
Others

Total
(%)
31.97
42.31
20.77
4.95

Rural
(%)
13.73
52.42
27.27
6.58

Urban
(%)
81.54
14.83
3.10
0.52

4. Construction material of roofs:

In rural as well as urban areas, wood/ bamboo had predominantly been used in the
construction of roofs by 79.11 percent and 25.77 percent houses respectively. In urban
areas 49.16 percent of the housing units are bonded with RCC/ RBC roofs, which is
as low as 5.00 percent in rural areas. In urban areas 21.79 percent of roofs have been
constructed with cement/ iron sheets against only 6.44 percent in rural areas. Table 4
gives detail of material used in the construction of roofs.
Table 4: construction material used in roofs
Roof material
RCC/ RBC
3 | Page

All areas
(%)
16.88

Rural
(%)
5.00

Urban
(%)
49.16

Cement/ Iron Sheet

Wood/ Bamboo
Others

10.57
64.76
7.79

6.44
79.11
9.45

21.79
25.77
3.28

Disaster in the History:

District Mirpurkhas is one of the oldest districts of Sindh. It was hit by 2011 rains /floods.
River Indus, after receiving water from 5 of its tributary rivers, causes floods in the northern
and southern parts of Sindh province. The upper region of Sindh Province comprises of the
districts of Jecobabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Larkana and Kamber Shahdadkot on the right
bank of River Indus and Ghotki, Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushahroferoze and Mirpur Khas on the
left bank of River Indus. These districts, on the right and left banks of River Indus, are prone
to severe threat when River Indus is in high flood. The districts in the lower Sindh are prone
to riverine flooding and include: Dadu, Jamshoro and Thatta on the right bank of River Indus
and Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari and Hyderabad on the left bank. The length of River
Indus along the province is 750 kms long.
Areas affected in 2011 floods/rains: Digri, Kangoro, Mir khuda Bux, Paban, Soofan shah,
Tando Jan Muhammad, Jhudo, Dilawar Hussain, Fazal Bhanbhiro, Roshanabad, Naukot,
Aahori, Bhurgri, Dengan, Jawaryasar, Haji Hadi Bux, Khhudad, Mir Ghulam Hussain, Mir
Imam Bux, Makhan Samo, Doulatpur, Jhaloori, Khann, Mirwah, Mirpur Old, Turik Ali Mari,
Kheerao, Ismail Jo Goath, Baloachabad, Phulhadyon and Hingorino

4 | Page

Conclusion:

5 | Page