Heavy rain, flood wreak havoc across Balochistan

QUETTA: Heavy monsoon rains with flash flood destroyed road infrastructure, rendering hundreds of families homeless after large numbers of mud houses collapsed in different areas of the province. Also, Afghan transit trade was suspended as the Quetta-Chaman highway was damaged at various places on Saturday.

Officials said the mountainous area of Khojak Pass linking Quetta with Chaman and Kandahar received heavy rain that damaged the historical Shella Bagh tunnel, which was filled up with mud, suspending rail-link with the border town of Chaman.

“Train service cannot be restored immediately,” officials said, adding that cleaning of mud from the tunnel will take some time. The Shella Bagh railway station was also badly affected by the flash flood.

According to reports, heavy rain started in the Khozak mountains last night and continued till Saturday morning, which washed away parts of N-25, suspending traffic between Quetta and Chaman and affected the Afghan transit trade through highway and rail. In view of the flood situation and destruction, the district administration has imposed a flood emergency in the entire Chaman district.

Officials said that in Qila Saifullah area, a village was completely destroyed and dozens of families became homeless when their houses were washed away by the flood water. Deputy commissioner, Qila Saifullah, said the families were shifted to safe places after levies and local administration started a rescue operation.

According to reports, Jhal Magsi in Nasirabad Division was badly affected and vast areas came under floodwater and many villages were cut off from the district headquarter. “Hundreds of families are marooned in the flood water of River Mola.”

Meanwhile, the PDMA has issued a warning to fishermen and local administration of Gwadar as ANSA Cyclone moves towards the Balochistan coastal areas. The PDMA asked the fisherman not to go into the sea for fishing at least for the next 48 hours.

The local administration has shifted fishing boats to a safe place near Koh-i Batal in Gwadar and also sought help from the Pakistan Navy for protection of fishing boats in Ormara.

However, according to local people, the situation in Gwadar district was normal and no sign of cyclone was witnessed in Balochistan waters on Saturday.