Pakistan: Floods, rain-related death toll in Balochistan reaches 130

Quetta [Pakistan], August 1 (ANI): With torrential rains and flash floods continuing to wreak havoc in different parts of Pakistan, the death toll from flood- and rain-related incidents in Balochistan province has gone up to 130, according to local media reports.

The situation is particularly bad in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces reported Dawn. Two people lost their lives in Balochistan on Sunday, taking the death toll from flood- and rain-related accidents in the province to 130.

Balochistan‘s Lasbela district has faced the worst flooding so far. The situation slightly improved slightly on Sunday, leading to the restoration of traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway after almost a week, Dawn reported. The highway was badly damaged after the collapse of three bridges.

Many flood victims blocked the RCD Highway in Ahmedwall to protest against the administration. The protesters chanted slogans demanding relief and rehabilitation assistance. They complained that no one from the district administration or public representatives visited their disaster-struck area, according to Dawn.

Meanwhile, another four bodies were found stuck in the gates of Sukkur Barrage of Sindh province, taking the toll over the last one week to 27, Dawn reported citing official sources. Another two girls died in Punjab when the roof of their house collapsed due to heavy rain.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heavy rains in parts of Lakki Marwat district on Sunday led to floodwaters inundating low-lying areas. Rains lashed Lakki town and rural areas for nearly one hour, damaging properties. As per reports, several urban and rural localities experienced flooding after an hour-long spell of rain.

Earlier, in wake of the havoc created in Balochistan, provincial authorities imposed Section 144 in the province. Disastrous spells of monsoon rains had led to the collapse of two dams, Jara and Tabina, in the Toba Kakar range of mountains in Balochistan.

The two dams collapsed in the Toba Achakzai offshoot in the Tasharbat, Zemel Shadizi, Mako Kech, Zemal, Ghabarg, Adozai, Farakhi and its suburban parts. After the dams’ collapse, the floodwater wiped out cattle, crops and farmlands in the affected areas. It is pertinent to mention here that land connectivity to Toba Achakzai was disconnected from other parts of the country for four days.

Meanwhile, the road link between Balochistan with Sindh was completely cut off after a bridge and a road connecting the two provinces were damaged in Lasbela and Khuzdar, respectively. Traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway was still suspended due to collapsing of major bridges and the sweeping away of big portions of the highway, the Dawn reported.

In its latest forecast on Saturday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted more rains and thundershowers in various parts of the country during the next 24 hours. MET advised the travellers and tourists to remain more cautious during the forecast period. (ANI)