Flash floods, heavy rains: Compensate the flood-hit in 24 hours, PM

QILLA SAIFULLAH/QUETTA/KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered strict action against the provincial administration over negligence in ensuring availability of food and drinking water at the tent city set up to accommodate the flood-affected people.

The prime minister issued the directive during his visit to the tent city in the Khusnob area of Qila Saifullah district, saying that negligence over relief and rescue operations would not be tolerated. Talking to journalists, PM Shehbaz expressed regret over the plight of displaced persons who faced unavailability of edible items at relief camps and were left with no other option but to travel back to their homes to get food.

He said loopholes had been identified regarding the lack of a record-keeping system at the medical relief system at camps and stressed addressing the issue at the earliest. He expressed grief over death of eight children at the relief camps and condoled with their families over their loss.

The prime minister also directed the authorities concerned to ensure the disbursement of compensation money to the flood-affected people of Balochistan within 24 hours.

He said that torrential rains led to heavy loss of lives and infrastructure in Balochistan, adding the federal government was determined to extend every possible assistance to the provincial government.

He asked the National Disaster and Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to pace up relief and rescue operations to best facilitate the victims and conduct a joint survey of damaged houses and crops.

CM Bizenjo, who was also present on the occasion, then directed the provincial chief secretary to suspend the officials concerned if food was not being provided at the relief camps.

“We were told people have been given one-month’s ration,” he said, instructing the chief secretary to probe the matter and suspend the relevant deputy commissioner (DC), Tehsildar, PDMA in-charge and relevant team if food was not available. “They are all suspended and action will be taken against them,” he assured the prime minister.

Federal Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Wasay said the government would make every effort to rehabilitate the displaced people due to floods. Chief Secretary Balochistan Abdul Aziz Aqeeli and Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz briefed the prime minister about the damage incurred by torrential rains in Balochistan. It was informed that four camps with medical facilities had been set up for flood-affected people and a tube well system in the area was functioning with solar energy to meet the water needs.

It was highlighted that in 30 years, Balochistan witnessed an average of 500 percent more rains after the pre-monsoon spell commenced on June 13. The briefing told that so far, 136 deaths had been reported with 70 injured. As many as 1,100 persons received minor injuries and were given first-aid. Around 200,000 acres of agricultural land were inundated while 20,500 people were shifted to safe places.

Also, the connectivity of Motorway M-8 and the Quetta-Karachi national highway was restored. Later at the Quetta Airport before his departure for home, the prime minister vowed collective efforts to ease the sufferings of the flood victims of Balochistan. He directed the authorities concerned to expand the network of medical camps across the flood-hit areas and ensure the availability of vaccines and medicine for the livestock.

Prime Minister Shehbaz arrived in the provincial capital of Balochistan on a day-long visit to oversee relief operations in the flood-affected areas.

Federal Ministers Sardar Israr Tareen, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Maulana Abdul Wasay, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, Minister of State Muhammad Hashim Notezai, Member of National Assembly Salahuddin Ayubi, and Chairman NDMA accompanied the prime minister.

Meanwhile, rains and floods continued wreaking havoc in parts of Balochistan as nine more people lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the past 24 hours.

“Nine more people died in Lasbela, Qilla Saifullah, Kohlo and Zhob districts of Balochistan during the last 24 hours raising the death toll from such incidents to 136,” Provincial Disaster Management Authority said on Monday.

Some 10,000 small embankments and a number of dams had been damaged while several bridges and roads linking Quetta to Ziarat, Chaman and Sibi had also been affected by rains, it added.

“Rain inundated dozens of villages, incurring damages to 13,535 houses in the province since June 1, out of which 10,129 were partially damaged and 3,406 were completely destroyed,” PDMA further said adding that “torrential rains and floods left as many as 70 people seriously injured while eleven hundred people received slight injuries who were given first aid. “The authority further added that 0.2 million acres of agricultural land came under water.

Meanwhile, a large number of house collapses were reported due to heavy rains during the fourth spell of monsoon in Zhob district, rendering many families homeless while due to collapse of bridges and perishing of roads the Awaran and Kohlo districts were cut from the rest of the province for the last few days.

About rescue and relief activities in the flood-hit areas, PDMA said that the federal government and provincial government with the support of Pak Army carried out relief activities in the catastrophe hit areas of Balochistan.

As many as 20500 people were shifted to safe places with the help of Pak Army and Navy while M8 and Quetta-Karachi national highways had been repaired restoring road traffic between Balochistan and Sindh after almost a week.

The highway was badly damaged after the collapse of three bridges earlier this month disrupting traffic on Quetta-Karachi and Quetta-Sukhur national highways.

Likewise, authorities concerned were asked to take immediate steps on the incidence of water-borne diseases reported in Qilla Saifullah, Panjpai where the area people demanded immediate help from the government.

He also directed NDMA to pay the compensation money to the heirs of those who lost their lives in rain and floods within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Navy Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) operations on Monday continued in different areas of Balochistan.

In the recent heavy rains spell and flash floods, Pakistan Navy through utilising its resources was providing support to the Civil Administration of Balochistan in undergoing rescue and relief operations, a Pakistan Navy media release said.

Pakistan Navy has set up a tent village at Bela near Uthal to provide shelter to the locals who have lost their homes in the flash floods. Food and health facilities are being provided to the displaced persons at the tent village. Moreover, free medical camps were established in the area to provide first aid and free medical facilities to the locals. A dedicated team of doctors and paramedical staff is providing treatment and free medicines to the aggrieved populace.

Pakistan Navy helicopters continued their operations in transporting ration bags, cooked food and relief goods at far-flung rural areas of Lasbela District.

Pakistan Navy, along with civil government and various philanthropist organisations, was providing continuous assistance to the flood stricken people while transitioning to rehabilitation operation in the worst affected areas. The relief operation in Balochistan is a practical manifestation of the Pakistan Navy’s resolve to extend all-out support to fellow countrymen in their hour of need.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is also actively participating in rescue and relief operations in flood affected areas of Balochistan.

During the operations, PAF helicopter fleet has carried 16,995 pounds of relief goods to the flood affected areas, which were cut off by roads due to torrential rains spell and flash floods, the spokesman of PAF said on Monday.

The relief goods which have been airlifted include flour, ghee, sugar, daal, tea and life saving medicines in the calamity hit areas. Despite inclement weather conditions throughout the country especially in the flood stricken areas, PAF personnel are working hard to provide humanitarian assistance to flood victims.

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff has directed the respective branches of PAF to employ maximum efforts towards relief and rescue operations for the flood affected people of Balochistan.

Meanwhile, the NDMA said, “the sporadic prolonged spell of heavy monsoon rains have killed 434 people and 24,420 livestock while 605 individuals got injured and 36,469 houses damaged so far in various parts of the country.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a daily 24-hour situation report that detailed various damages and losses reported across the country due to unprecedented rainfall and flash flooding.

The report highlighted that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Bajaur District, heavy rain partially damaged 13 houses whereas in Charsadda District on July 29, heavy rains injured three persons, four cattle got perished and six houses got fully and 25 houses got partially damaged.

In Dera Ismail Khan District, heavy rain on July 29 caused 16 houses partially damaged whereas in Malakand District death of three persons was reported along with seven houses partially damaged owing to heavy rain. The damages reported in Mardan District, due to heavy rain, resulted in partial damage to 14 houses, along with two houses fully damaged, and also 24 kanals maze crops got damaged.

In Mohmand District, death of a person was reported along with a dozen of houses partially damaged after massive rains. In Nowshera District, heavy rainfall partially damaged a house.

In South Waziristan District, two children got injured and a house partially got damaged amid increased rainfall.

In Swabi District, two womwn got injured and two houses got partially damaged during monsoon rain.

In Swat District, two cattle died and a cattle farm got damaged by large scale rain.

In Punjab’s Multan District, monsoon rains wounded a child and partially damaged a house.

In Jehlum District, a child was reported to be drowned in the river during rains.

In Gilgit Baltistan (GB)’s Ghizer District, five houses got completely damaged due to heavy rains whereas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)’s Mirpur District a child was reported to be drowned in the river during rain.

The NDMA also ensured relief activities across the country to assist the provincial disaster management authorities (PDMAs).

The NDMA provided 2,400 tents, 4,000 mosquito nets and 2,900 tarpaulins to PDMA Balochistan.

The PDMA Sindh handed over 4,189.5 kilogrammes relief items containing 40 Ration Bags, 76.5Kg cooking oil, 400 anti-snake vaccines and medicines and medical supplies to air force authorities for further dispatch to Balochistan which was in addition to 600 tents sent earlier for the flood-hit people of Uthal, Balochistan.

Moreover, the rehabilitation activities were underway as the restoration work at Lunda Bridge at Uthal and Gaddani Bridge was in progress in Lasbela District.

Meanwhile, district administration has issued flood alert in Tehsil Alipur and urged the people living on adjacent areas of River Chenab to move to safe places under preventive measures to save their lives and properties.

In line with special directives of the district administration, the announcements through Masajid have been made in all areas in which the residents were urged to move to safe places. The administration has established flood relief camps at Midwala, Basti Jhangan and Government High School Saifpur.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rain-wind/thundershower for Kashmir, upper Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday.

Hot and Humid weather is expected in other parts of the country. According to the synoptic situation, weak monsoon currents were penetrating in central parts of the country. A western disturbance was affecting upper parts of the country.

During the last 24 hours, rain-wind/thundershower with isolated heavy falls occurred in Kashmir, Islamabad, Punjab, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northeastern Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Lower Sindh.

The rainfall recorded during the last 24 hours was Kashmir: Muzaffarabad (Airport 121 mm, City 117), Garhi Dupatta 31, Rawalakot 23, Kotli 04, Punjab: Murree 106, Islamabad (Saidpur 88, Golra 45, Zeropoint 32, Airport 05, Bokra 01), Khanewal 80, Mandi Bahauddin 70, Chakwal 59, Kror (Layyah) 36, Gujranwala 28, Jhelum 27, Gujrat 24, Sialkot (Airport 17, City 02), Attock 13, Dera Ghazi Khan 09, Nurpur Thal, Kasur, Narowal 08, Sahiwal, Toba Tek Singh 07, Okara 06, Rawalpindi (Shamsabad 06, Chaklala 01), Kot Addu 06, Bahawalnagar 05, Lahore (City 03, Airport 02), Jhang, Bhakkar, Mangla 03, Multan (City), Joharabad, Sargodha 02, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Balakot 34, Saidu Sharif 29, Kakul 24, Dir (Lower 21, Upper 14), Malam Jabba, Mardan 16, Cherat 11, Dera Ismail Khan, Kalam 03, Balochistan: Loralai 12, Barkhan, 01, Gilgit-Baltistan: Bagrote 13, Astore 05, Gilgit 03, Bunji, Skardu, Babusar, Gupis 02, Sindh: Karachi (Gulshan-e-Hadid 07, Faisal Base 06, MOS, University Road 04, Orangi Town, Nazimabad 03, Jinnah Terminal, Sadar, Masroor Base, Kemari 02 and Saadi Town 01mm).

Meanwhile, the senators urged the nation to come forward in support of the flood-hit people, particularly in Balochistan province.

In his ruling, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said that the whole nation should come forward and take part in the relief work to help brethren facing hardships due to floods and rains.

Talking on point of order, Senator Kauda Babar Senator Manzoor Kakar and Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi said that people were going through very difficult situation due to torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan. They said nation should come forward to help those who were going through testing times.

Federal Minister for Water Resources Khurshid Shah said that he supports the suggestion of constituting JIT as dams funding was given by federal government. He said that JIT must be constituted to probe it.

Senator Tahir Bizenjo said that agriculture loans should be written off and compensates the losses of the people in flood hit areas. He appreciated the prime minister for visiting Balochistan province to meet flood affectees.

Senator Azam Swati said that maximum support should be provided to the flood victims.

Leader of the House in the Senate Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said that in this hour of grief and calamity, “we stand with people facing hardships due to floods in Balochistan and others parts of the country.”