Karachi-Quetta highway closed for traffic following fresh monsoon spell

The Karachi-Quetta Highway N25 was partially submerged and closed for traffic following the latest spell of monsoon on Saturday, Aaj News reported.

The district administration said the Lunda Bridge in the Uthal area of Lasbela district had been shut down.

"Following the highway’s closure at the Uthal area, and the alternate track constructed recently by the District Administration and NHA being swept away by the flooding, there was no other option but to close the land route between Khuzdar and Karachi," it noted.

On the other hand, commissioner of the Kalat Division asked the Sindh government and Rangers officials to stop all types of transport and bus services between the Karachi and Quetta route until restoration.

Traveling from Karachi to Uthal, Bela and Khuzdar is not currently safe and should be avoided if the travel is unnecessary. Once the emergency weather situation subsides and the water recedes, the restoration work of the affected track of the RCD highway will be started.

The rain is wreaking havoc in the country, especially in Balochistan and KP.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a warning on Friday that a well-marked low-pressure area persisted over the Northeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Rann of Kutch, India with its trough extending up to southern Sindh.

Under the influence of these weather systems, it predicted rain-thunderstorms with a few heavy falls and occasional strong winds in Karachi, Tharparker, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Tando Muhammad khan, Tando Allayar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Thatta, Sujawal, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Noushero Feroz districts till August 14.

“Rainfall intensity will increase in northeastern and southern districts of Balochistan which may trigger flash flooding in Dadu, Jamshoro, Kambar Shahdadkot districts and downstream,” it said.

“Heavy falls may create water-logging/ urban flooding in low-lying areas of Karachi, Hyderabad, Badin, and Thatta during the forecast period,” it said.

The weather department has also cautioned that heavy rains might generate urban flooding in Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas from August 14-18.

In a statement on Friday, the PMD said that flash flooding is expected in Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Mosa Khel, Sherani, Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella, Awaran, Turbat, Panjgur, Pasni, Jiwani, Ormara, Gwadar and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan during the forecast period from 14th to 18th August.

Heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Gujranwala from August 14-16.

Flash flooding is expected in local Nullahs of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Shakargarh, Sialkot, Narowal, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Kashmir on 15th & 16th August.

Rainfall may trigger landslides in Kashmir, hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamir, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer, and Skardu during the forecast period.

Karachi and many other areas of Sindh witnessed a fresh spell of rain on Friday night and Saturday morning that disrupted daily activities and triggered urban flooding in many areas.

The rains that persisted till Saturday morning left the roads flooded and commuters struggled to reach their destinations.

As per the details, a heavy downpour was witnessed in Korangi, North Karachi, Nazimabad, Gulshan, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Clifton, Defence, and Shahrah-e-Faisal.