Monsoon rains havoc: 90 killed, nearly 4,000 houses damaged in Balochistan since June 1, says PDMA

BALOCHISTAN: Monsoon rains in Balochistan, which started on June 1, have wreaked havoc and brought misery for the people of the province, killing at least 90 people — including three in the past 24 hours — and damaging nearly 4,000 homes in the province, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in it’s latest update.

The second spell of downpours has rattled the region as rains have broken their 30-year record.

According to a report by the PDMA, in addition to the deaths, 63 people have been injured.

In the last 24 hours, two men and a child were killed in rain-related incidents in Quetta and Jaffarabad.

Meanwhile, 706 livestock animals have been killed in floods.

The report added that over 2,500 houses have been completely damaged, while 1,417 houses have been partly damaged in the rains.

Separately, nine bridges and four roads have been submerged in water.

In Turbat’s Mirani River, the water levels rose to 249.5 feet, raising the chances of flash floods. In other areas too, dams and reservoirs have been filled to capacity.

The cities that recorded the highest rainfall include Ziarat, Pishin, Muslim Bagh, and Quetta.

The PDMA said it had been dispatching relief items to the residents of Quetta and Panjgur, some of the most-affected areas. So far, 1,100 ration bags and 50 camps have been sent, along with 200 blankets, 250 floor mats and 200 mosquito repellents.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority’s chairperson to increase the presence of officials in the flood-hit areas of Balochistan and pledged Rs1 million to the families of the people killed as a result of rainfall after a joint survey.

He ordered the acting chief of NDMA to immediately reach Quetta and support the provincial government to rehabilitate the flood affectees.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rain in the province in the upcoming days because a weak seasonal low lies over Northwest Balochistan.

It said hot and humid weather was expected in most parts of the country. However, isolated rain and thunderstorms were expected in Sherani, Zhob, Musakhel, Qila Saifullah, Duki, Barkhan, Quetta, Qila Abdullah, Chaghi, Ziarat, Harnai, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Bolan, Nasirabad, Lehri, Sohbatpur, Jhal Magsi, Jafarabad, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kharan, Washuk, Panjgur, Kech, Awaran, Lasbella and coastal areas of the province.

Heavy rain may trigger water-logging/urban flooding in low-laying catchment areas of the districts, the Met Office warned.

It has further advised all the concerned authorities to stay alert during the forecast period.