QUETTA: 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-Sukkur 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.
It may be mentioned here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Balochistan, a second such visit to review the pace of relief activities in the flood areas of the province.
The PM during his visit expressed annoyance over the non availability of food and drinking water at the tent city established for flood victims in Qila Saifullah issuing directives for immediate action against the provincial administration.
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.
The PM vowed that the federal government will not leave the flood affected people of Balochistan alone. All out efforts will be put in place to ensure maximum relief to the calamity-stricken people.
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