Balochistan reels from rain, flood devastation

QUETTA/PESHAWAR: The destruction caused by heavy floods following torrential rains across Balochistan is going on as hundreds of houses have collapsed, thousands of people have been rendered homeless and 124 people have been killed.

The flashfloods in many areas of Balochistan have washed away roads, railway tracks and destroyed crops on a large area.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday visited Balochistan to oversee the relief work being done in the province after heavy monsoon rains took the lives of more than 120 people.

Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in Balochistan, leaving destruction all the way as more than 6,000 houses have been completely destroyed and over 10,000 houses are partially damaged.

As a result of the relentless rains, the prime minister formed a committee comprising federal ministers, which was directed to visit the flood-affected areas and submit a report in the next four days.

In conversation with journalists during his visit to the affected areas, the prime minister announced Rs1 million for the families whose members lost their lives in the rains and Rs500,000 for the people whose houses were destroyed and Rs200,000 for the homes that were partially damaged.

The prime minister added that the federal government’s committee would conduct surveys in liaison with the provinces. They will also remain in touch with Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, he said.

The premier said that the committee’s meeting has been called on August 3 in Islamabad, as he admitted that the rains have killed 124 in Balochistan.

During the visit, the prime minister took an aerial view of flood-affected areas of Balochistan, while Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Aqaili briefed him about damages caused by heavy rains and floods.

PM Shehbaz was also briefed on ongoing relief activities in the affected areas. Later, the prime minister also visited Jhal Magsi and met the flood-affected people in Shambani. He directed provision of medicines and the establishment of a relief camp beside the deployment of a veterinary doctor for the treatment of cattle in affected areas.

Earlier, the prime minister also visited Jacobabad where he was briefed about the relief activities in flood-affected areas.

Pakistan Navy helicopters undertook multiple hops from Uthal to the affected areas to airdrop rations near people trapped in their homes. Apart from the navy, the provincial government, district administration, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), PAF, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Army, and Frontier Corps are also engaged in rescue and relief operations.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah a day earlier telephoned Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Qudus Bizenjo. Separately, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan announced a relief package for the flood-affected people of Balochistan and directed the relevant authorities to ensure the provision of announced package to flood-hit people within the next 24 hours.

The Meteorological Department forecast more rains in Khuzdar, Zhob, Barkhan, Kohlu, Musa Khel, Sherani, Sibbi and Bolan in the next 24 hours.

Earlier, two dams Jara and Tabina collapsed in Baluchistan’s Toba Achakzai of Toba Kakar range of mountains following the disastrous spell of monsoon rains. After the dams collapse, the floodwater wiped out cattle, crops and farmlands in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, a woman and two children died while three others were injured in rain-related incidents in Mardan. The house of Mohammad Arif collapsed at Chakaro Pul Muslimabad during a wedding ceremony. A woman, and two boys identified as Asif, 6, and Anas, 2, died while Haris, 10, Mohammad Zahir, 60, and Waris, 10, were injured. It has been raining in Mardan for the last two days.

A seven-year-old child was buried alive and his mother sustained injuries when their house collapsed in the Argoshal area of Dodial in Mansehra district.

The flash floods in the Kunhar River, Seran River, Indus River and streams swallowed with the start of rains in the division are still overflowing with flooding damaging crops and structures on riversides.

In Charsadda, the floods triggered by torrential monsoon rains destroyed several houses and government buildings and damaged standing crops and fruit orchards while the rivers flowing in the district were in high flood in Charsadda on the second consecutive day on Saturday. The district administration along with other relevant departments was carrying out rescue and relief activities to facilitate the flood affectees.