Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday directed the officials concerned to immediately repair the communication system, especially the road links, in the flood and rains-affected areas in Balochistan, to ensure prompt supply of relief goods to each affected person.
He attended a briefing about the losses and relief operation in the affected areas of Balochistan. Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education Zobaida Jalal, Balochistan Chief Minister Muhammad Yousaf and other officials were also present on the occasion.
The Prime Minister also directed the provincial and local governments to finalise damage assessment so that the federal government could ensure necessary funds for relief and rehabilitation.
Shaukat, who arrived here from Karachi after visiting the rain-affected areas, said that there was complete coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments to ensure smooth supply of relief goods in all affected areas.
He said that the nation was fully prepared to face such challenges, as it had already shown its resilience and devotion in the October 2005 earthquake.
He appreciated the offers being received by the government from the civil society, local and international NGOs, and added that their support and help would be welcomed by the government.
He said that main concern before the government was to provide relief to the flood and rains-affected people in Balochistan. "We are giving priority to provide food, shelter and medical facilities with a proper and effective distribution system," he added.
He said that air bridge had been established between Karachi/Islamabad and the affected areas to ensure timely, proper and required facilities including provision of food, water, medicines and other basic needs of life.
The Prime Minister said that 12 flights of C-130 were operating daily for the provision of relief goods to the affected people of Balochistan.
Appreciating the role of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), he said that it had played important role through early warning to the provincial and local governments, which helped in evacuation of people.
He said that the Authority had successfully mobilised all departments and provided coordination in the relief operation.
He said that a logistic cell was being set up at Jacobabad to store relief goods for onward supply to the affected areas promptly. Earlier, the Prime Minister reviewed the relief operation and, expressing satisfaction on it, directed to further expedite the supply of water, food, medicine and other necessary items to the affected people without any delay.
Chief of NDMA Lieutenant General Farooq Ahmed Khan briefed the Prime Minister about the activities of the Authority in the relief operation. He said that due to early warning system, adopted by the Authority, and giving warning to the provincial and local governments, bigger disaster had been avoided.
He informed the Prime Minister that the relief operation with the cooperation of federal, provincial and local governments was in full swing. Referring to the importance of Mirani dam, he informed the Prime Minister that due to storage of water, over 60,000 people had been saved who could be affected without the storage capacity of Mirani dam.
Inspector-General of Frontier Corps Saleem Hayat told the Prime Minister that out of 49 districts of the province, 8 were very badly affected, while people in 13 villages had been marooned due to flash flood and they were evacuated.
He said that Army, Frontier Corps, and civil administration had launched a co-ordinated relief operation without any delay, and lives of many people were saved and the affected population was being provided food, medical care and shelter.
He said more than 200,000 people were affected due to flash floods and rains in Turbat and adjoining areas, and Rs 15 billion was needed for rehabilitation of the affected population. He informed the Prime Minister that so far more than 55 tons food items had been supplied to the affected people in Balochistan.
Later, the Prime Minister also distributed food and ration among the affected people.
S M BUND: Following passage of a flood deluge in Indus River and continuing torrential rains, Irrigation Department has imposed emergency along 150-km-long SM Bund.
The department has cancelled the leaves of irrigation staff and ordered them to remain on high alert. The 14 points of embankment have been declared sensitive.
The monitoring staff has been deployed at each kilometer along the bank to combat any emergency situation due to expected flood and torrential rains.
The staff has been provided with flood light torches and other equipment besides poisonous pesticides to kill the rats, which make holes in the banks.
The irrigation officials said SM Bund was capable to bear the passage of over 600,000 cusecs of water and there was no dangerous situation at present.
He said Sakrand Mud Bund was being monitored round-the-clock at Saeedabad, Bhanote, Maari Mohammad Khan, Matiari and other sensitive sites.
Meanwhile, water level in Rohri Canal and Shahdadpur Sub-division has risen to 16-foot, which was 4 feet below the danger level.
The banks of Rohri Canal at RD-786 and RD-806 were weak where hundreds of area people were monitoring the situation. The people of this area said that Irrigation Department had recently put mud on the banks with a cost of Rs 100 million.
Reports said that three villages were inundated as Begari Canal developed a 5-foot breach at Deh Aliabad near Jacobabad. The breach water damaged standing crops, causing losses to the farmers of area.
District Nazim Saeeda Soomro, DCO Dr Naveed Ahmed and other officials rushed to the scene and assured the villagers of government help.
Reports from Balochistan said the Coast Guards and police have rescued 575 marooned people from Hangul in Lasbela districts. Of these, 175 people were airlifted by a helicopter while the remaining were shifted to safer places through boats. Various villages came under water due to breach in the Sassi dam near Wandur.
Relief and rescue operations by Pakistan Army troops continued on the fifth day in flood hit areas of Balochistan, including Turbat, Nasirabad, Nodez, Gabban, Kalatuk, Solaband, Sibbi, Jacobabad, Jhal Magsi, Buleda and Mand. Three helicopters of the Army Aviation will reach Turbat while two Sea king helicopters of Pakistan Navy will reach Gwadar to participate in the ongoing relief and rescue efforts. Two MI-17 helicopters of Pakistan Air Force will reach Karachi for relief and rescue operations in Balochistan.
Since the start of relief and rescue operations 21 sorties of C-130 aircraft of PAF have shifted 127 tons of relief goods from PAF base Chaklala and Karachi to Turbat, Gwadar, Pasni, Jacobabad and Sibbi for distribution among affected people of Balochistan.
The relief items include food bags, rice bags, and tents, mattresses, mineral water, medicines, water tanks and other miscellaneous relief items. Pakistan Army Engineers and troops of Frontier Works Organisation are also busy round the clock in repair and rehabilitation of the communication infrastructure in flood hit areas.
Troops of FWO are also working on Hingol River Crossing. Work is under progress but heavy flow of water is hampering the repair work. Army Engineers have restored traffic on Sibbi-Quetta road after an exhaustive effort. Relief Commissioner Khuda Bukhsh Baloch said that bad weather situation was hampering relief activities in Balochistan.
He said relief activities had become limited because of inclement weather, as roads couldn't be used. Similarly, he said C-130 taking relief goods to Turbat but the relief goods couldn't be taken to other villages beyond Turbat because the roads have submerged under water.