Our Correspondents
Quetta
As many as 15 districts of Balochistan province remained badly affected by torrential rainfall, while 300 villages were inundated with floodwater, spokesman of the provincial government Liaquat Shahwani said on Sunday.
He said, “278 mm rainfall is recorded in some districts of the province, forcing the government to open spillways of Merani and Shadi Kaur dams,” he said adding that eight people have died and 17 others injured in rain-related incidents.
A gas line damaged by the floodwater in Bolan could not be repaired so far and supply of gas to Mastung, Kalat, Pishin and Ziarat has been suspended for the second day.
The traffic flow, which was suspended due to collapse of Bibi Nani bridge in rainfall yet to be restored and an alternate makeshift road is being made, Levies sources said.
The spokesman said that the provincial government has released Rs 350 million for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to carry out relief activities.
Divulging details of the infrastructural damage due to torrential rains, he said that a bridge collapsed at N-65 highway connecting Quetta and Jacobabad, and helicopters were used to rescue the trapped people.
“We have also appealed to the railway authorities to provide special rail services after damage to road infrastructure,” the provincial spokesman said.
Liaquat Shahwani further said that damage to road infrastructure on Coastal Highway is being repaired while the restoration process of other roads was also ongoing.
We have set up a central control room at the chief minister secretariat while Pakistan Army is also taking part actively in the rescue efforts in the province, the spokesman said.
Besides infrastructural
losses, he said that harvest and cattle losses were also reported due to the rain and appealed to the citizens to stay safe as more downpour is predicted in the coming days in the province.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority has reported that 18 people have died in different cities during the heavy downpour continued since August 6.
Separately, the Director PDMA Makran Circle said that the M-8 motorway road, which is part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, was damaged at the location of the Tejaban area due to flood water.
“We have begun process to restore the road infrastructure at Coastal Highway and M-8 motorway,” he said adding that the PDMA and district administration remained alert in the area to deal with the flooding situation. At least five people have died in the ongoing spell of rainfall in Balochistan, according to sources.
The fresh spell of monsoon rainfall caused partial damages to two houses in Malir and Nowshero Feroze respectively, whereas, one house was completely destructed in Nowshero Feroze.
The crops on 132 acres of land were affected in the recent downpur in Sukkur, said the PDMA Sindh.
Pakistan Army and Navy teams continue to carry out rescue and relief operations in rain and flood-hit areas of Dadu and Balochistan’s Jhal Magsi districts, the ISPR said in a statement on Sunday.
The military’s medical and Engineering teams assisting civil administration to rescue stranded people to safer places in Dadu and Jhal Magsi. Around 1000 stranded people were also served meals during relief operations, ISPR said.
The land link between main colonies of Jhal Magsi and Gandawah has been restored, the statement said.
The relief teams have reopened Parsi bridge for all kind of traffic. The road link of the Coastal Highway has also been restored, according to the ISPR statement.
