• Weather warning of ‘strong activity’ in Karachi, Balochistan, Arabian Sea
• Balochistan submerged after flash floods, blocked highways, washed away roads
• PM announces Rs 1 crore for victims’ families, relieved that dams are still safe
• Four killed in rain-related incidents in KP, GB
Quetta/Gilgit/Peshawar: Disaster management officials prepare for another round of torrential rains, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, in anticipation of a “vigorous monsoon” that lashed parts of Balochistan, bringing rain to the South-Western Provinces Suddenly another wave of floods started. Thursday.
The alert issued by the National Disaster Management Authority was inspired by a statement issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), which called for “strong weather activity” in the Karachi, Hub Dam catchment areas (which covers parts of Balochistan) over the next three days. had predicted. , and the Arabian Sea.
the current the magic of monsoon rainWhich has claimed over 160 lives earlier this month, resulted in four more deaths on Thursday – three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Gilgit-Baltistan.
In GB, one person was killed and 13 others – residents of Swat – were injured after they allegedly slipped off a slippery road near Babusar Pass, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat and Mansehra districts, rescue officials said. Accordingly, three people drowned. ,
Balochistan helpless
At the time of filing, reports from Balochistan painted a bleak picture as the northern and central parts of the province suffered structural damage due to heavy rains.
Many towns and cities in the province have been cut off from Quetta and other district headquarters due to the floods. The rains also cut off Balochistan from Punjab and Sindh as the highway connecting Sukkur to Quetta and Dera Ghazi Khan (Punjab) with Loralai remained closed due to rain.
As a precautionary measure after the Bolan, Nari and other rivers overflowed and the highway near Bolan was damaged, local authorities closed the highway connecting Quetta to Sukkur.
“We have decided to close the road for overnight travel as flood waters have damaged the highway at various points,” Sibi Deputy Commissioner Mansoor Qazi said. The DC said that the flood water from the Nari river is moving towards the villages of the area.
Editorial: rain disaster
He said that the villages were being evacuated in case of possible floods due to the influx of Nari river. Irrigation officials said that the catchment areas of Nari, Bolan and other seasonal rivers are receiving heavy rains in the towns of Harnai, Ziarat, Duki and Sanjeevi.
Similarly, the Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas were also receiving heavy rains, causing the Lahiri river and seasonal currents to be washed away.
Traffic between Balochistan and Punjab was also severely affected due to heavy rains in Lorelai and Dera Ghazi Khan (Punjab). Tourists going to Fort Munro were still stuck due to heavy rain, which disrupted traffic between Barkhan, Muskhail and Dera Ghazi Khan. When the news was written, the officials said that efforts are on to rescue the stranded tourists in the area.
Rainfall was also reported in Harnai, Ziarat, Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Zhob, Karez Qamardddin and Danasar areas of Sherani and Zhob districts.
Officials said traffic between Harnai and Quetta was also suspended as the road connecting the region to the provincial capital was washed away at different points. Traffic was also affected on the Jhob-Dera Ismail Khan road.
However, there is no report of any casualty in Balochistan till the time of writing this news.
NDMA urges caution
In its advisory, the NDMA specifically mentioned the management of the Hub dam – the third largest dam in Pakistan located at least 50 km from Karachi – and called upon the authorities to ensure “safe discharge of water” and to ensure the removal of water from the catchment areas. Advised to adjust the excess flow. There is a possibility of torrential rains in Dadu District, Khirthar National Park, Saruna, Dureji and Shah Noorani area of Balochistan.
It advised departments to be vigilant so that “at risk population downstream in any emergency” could be evacuated in time. It also warned fishermen in Sindh and Balochistan to avoid the open sea for the time being.
PM’s package
Similarly, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered the NDMA president to increase the presence of officials in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as he promised Rs 10 lakh to the families of those killed as a result of the rains after a joint survey was. He ordered the acting chief of NDMA to reach Quetta immediately and support the provincial government for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected.
Calling for coordinated efforts between federal and provincial governments, he warned there would be no room for complacency. The Prime Minister said all the dams are “safe and secure” and the situation is being monitored round the clock.
Separately, in a statement, the Punjab PDMA warned that the rains would continue for the next four days. It said the system started weakening in the upper parts of the province and strengthened in South Punjab. In the next hours, rain will occur over Central to South Punjab and Sindh.
Zaki Abbas in Islamabad, Nisar Ahmed in Mansehra and Ghulam Mursalin Marwat in Lucky Marwat also contributed to this report.
Published in Dawn, July 15, 2022