11 killed as heavy rains batter parts of country

KARACHI: At least 11 people were killed and dozens of others suffered injuries in separate rain-related incidents across the country, it emerged on Saturday night.

Heavy monsoon rains on Sunday wreaked havoc in Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Achakzai, Qilla Abdullah, Ziarat, Pishin, Chaman, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Khairpur and other areas of the country. Flash floods triggered by the heavy rains damaged houses and crops besides washing away roads and bridges in different areas. In addition, roofs and boundary walls of several houses also collapsed. At least, 10 people were injured in rain-related incidents in different parts of Balochistan.

In Chaman, flash floods washed away a railway track and damaged another one in Noshki, cutting the rail link between Pakistan and Iran.

Faisalabad received 131 millimetres of rain a day earlier. Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) spokesperson said that a maximum 131mm of rain was recorded in Madina Town while Allama Iqbal Colony witnessed 79mm rain, Dogar Basti 74mm, Gulistan Colony 78mm and Ghulam Muhammad Abad area 91mm rain.

The PMD has updated its weather advisory, indicating a shift in the monsoon system from Karachi and lower Sindh towards central and upper Sindh, as well as Balochistan. According to the PMD alert, the likelihood of heavy rain in Karachi has diminished, while the city may still experience light to moderate rainfall. Furthermore, cities in Sindh such as Jacobabad, Larkana, Dadu, Shikarpur, Ghotki and Sukkur are expected to experience heavy rainfall. As per the Met Office forecast, this weather system may continue to affect Sindh until the morning of August 19.

Sukkur plunged into darkness after the city received rains on Saturday night. The Sukkur mayor claimed 290mm rain fell in 24 hours and it beat the 77-year record. However, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director Muhammad Sarfraz said that rain recorded in Sukkur up to 0800am was 100mm.

Meanwhile, monsoon rains continued across Balochistan, causing widespread devastation. Three people died and three others were injured. Many areas of Balochistan have been cut off from the rest of the country. Dozens of mud houses and walls collapsed, and power and communication systems in various parts of the province were disrupted. Railway tracks in Chaman, Harnai, Dera Allah Yar, and Nushki were submerged. The closure of various roads has led to a shortage of food supplies.

According to reports, many bridges in different areas of Balochistan have been washed away by the floods. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded due to road closures. In response, flood control rooms have been established by district administrations throughout Balochistan.

Rainfall continued in Khuzdar and all its tehsils. Some low-lying areas have been submerged, causing damage to standing crops and agricultural equipment. In Sarwana, lightning killed twelve-year-old Muhammad Ismail, son of Noor Ahmad, and eight-year-old Muhammad Imran, son of Muhammad Sharif, both residents of Sarwana Wadh. The children were tending their herd near their home when lightning struck, also killing eleven goats.

The Shahdadkot-Khuzdar Road in the Wangu mountainous area is closed due to landslides caused by the recent rainfall. Reports indicated that large boulders have fallen from the Wangu Hills due to last night’s rain. Travelers are advised to exercise caution and avoid traveling on the Wangu Hills.

In Kurdugap tehsil of Mastung, the body of a woman has been recovered. Severe rains last night caused a flood surge through streams and channels, sweeping the woman away while she was crossing a bridge at the Kurdugap Cross. Rescue teams recovered her body several kilometers away from the flooded channel and transferred it to a hospital for necessary formalities.

Heavy rainfall in Chaman has led to widespread destruction and suspension of passenger train services. The rain damaged the railway track, halting passenger train operations.

Owing to recent torrential rains, the national highway from Bhaag to Bakhtiarabad has been closed to all types of traffic. The city is experiencing a shortage of essential food items and an increase in food prices due to disconnection from other cities. There is a public demand for the immediate restoration of highway.

The heavy rain that has been going on for the past two days in Dera Allah Yar has caused widespread devastation. Roads and streets have turned into lakes, the DHQ Hospital is submerged and train services have been suspended due to flooding of the railway tracks. The Jaffer Express, traveling from Rawalpindi to Quetta, was halted in Jacobabad but was eventually allowed to depart for Quetta after a delay of two and a half hours.

Heavy rainfall in Bolan and Mach has led to flooding in low-lying areas of the Bolan National Highway, stranding hundreds of vehicles.

Torrential rain late at night in Kohlu and surrounding areas has caused flooding in low-lying regions. Various sections of the Kohlu-Sibi National Highway have been closed for several days due to floodwaters, severing the land connection between Kohlu and several neighboring districts in Balochistan and Sindh. The monsoon rains have submerged low-lying areas in Kohlu, affecting the only national highway connecting Kohlu to interior Balochistan. According to a PDMA report, three people, including women and children, have been injured in Kohlu while walls and roofs have collapsed.

Owing to the recent monsoon rains, the Sibi-Harnai railway section has been closed since July 21. Floodwater washed away the Quetta-Taftan railway section near Nushki, leading to the suspension of train services.

According to the NDMA, there is a risk of urban flooding in various cities of Balochistan in the next 24 to 48 hours due to the rains. Kalat, Ziarat, Zhob and Quetta are at risk.

Meanwhile, due to the current monsoon rains in the Kirthar mountain range and mountain ranges of Balochistan, the water level in the Manchhar Lake has exceeded 112.5 RL. Owing to the rise of water level in Manchhar Lake, new streams are flowing through the mountains and there is medium level flood in the Indus River. Also, the road communication of dozens villages of Johi, Sehwan and Bhan Saeedabad was cut off.

According to the Kotri Barrage Control Room, there are 372,610 cusecs of water at the Sukkur Barrage downstream, due to which the flow of water at Kotri Barrage is increasing on a daily basis. On Sunday, 222,324, cusecs of water were recorded at Kotri upstream, and 187,549 cusecs of water were being released from Kotri downstream.

Owing to an increase in water discharge from Sukkur Barrage, the Kacha areas of Khairpur, Nowshehro Feroz, Nawabshah and Matiari have submerged and residents are moving to safer places. On the left canal of the Indus River, the people of Kacha areas of Dadu and Jamshoro districts have also moved to safer places.

The PDMA has issued a flood warning for Qamber-Sahdadkot, Dadu and Jamshoro districts of Sindh on Sunday due to water coming from the mountain ranges.

Meanwhile, rapidly rising River Chitral, driven by accelerated glacier melting and glacial lake outburst floods, continued to ravage villages and roads in Upper Chitral, local residents said. The river’s swelling, caused by the swift melting of glaciers, has led to the destruction of homes, fields and orchards in Pawer, Diwangul and Sarghuz villages. “The Mastuj-Baroghil road is also at risk in Ishper Zomi area if immediate steps are not taken to protect it,” warned a resident Gul Khan.

Several villages in both upper and lower Chitral have been devastated by river erosion, but no effective action has been implemented to mitigate the damage. The once picturesque village of Reshun has been significantly reduced in size due to inadequate government intervention.

Meanwhile, NDMA said torrential rains have claimed nearly 200 lives across Pakistan since July 1.