15 February 2005	Tuesday	05 Muharram 1426

QUETTA, Feb 14: About 25 people, six women and four children among them, were killed in different parts of Balochistan as the province experienced a new spell of rain and snowfall.

Heavy rainfall was reported from most parts of Balochistan while the northern parts of the province received heavy snowfall over the past two days, disrupting normal life and cutting off all communication links.

The situation in Pasni, Suntesar and Gwadar district remained unchanged with rain and flood hampering relief and rescue efforts. Road links could not be restored making it difficult to take food and other relief goods to the affected areas.

"Though C-130 planes are bringing relief goods including foodstuff but Pasni and other areas are facing shortage of food which may worsen in coming days if road link is not restored," provincial minister Sher Jan Baloch said in Pasni.

According to reports reaching here, most of the seasonal rivers in central balochistan are in high flood. The Mula River has crossed the danger mark and is in high flood.

Over dozen villages have been inundated in Jhal Magsi and Gandawah area of Kachhi district. Since the central Balochistan is the main catchment area of major rivers, the Hingol river is in spate.

The situation is the same with Nihing River that has received heavy rain in it catchment areas of Pakistani and Iranian Balochistan. The Dasht River and its tributary Kech Kaur is also in high flood.

However, there was no rain in areas close to the Coastal Highway on Monday. According to official sources, the new spell of heavy rain and snowfall has badly hit the northern parts of Balochistan, causing collapse of a large number of houses and many deaths. Seven people lost their lives in the Kohlu tribal agency, the headquarters of the Marri Tribe.

Seven more people were died in Karezat region of Pishin district where heavy snowfall has disrupted road communication. Officials have been unable to reach or open the communication line with Karezat region.

Burshore, another region of Pishin district of northern Balochistan, also received heavy snowfall killing at least four people. In Kalat, in central Balochistan, two children lost their lives as roof of their house collapsed, while two people were killed in Surrang, some 50 km from here.

Three people are reported to have died in rain-related incident in Khuzdar and Awaran in central Balochistan. Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Balochistan government, Abdul Razik Bugti also confirmed more deaths in different areas of the province.

Speaking at a Press conference on Monday evening, he said that 19 people had died in the districts of Pishin, Awaran and Kohlu. He said that a breach in a dam in the Bilingore area of Kechh district had affected about 3000 people. Several villages were affected by flood in the Behang River.

About the rescue and relief operation in Mekran areas, Mr Bugti said that army, navy, Coast Guards and Frontier Corps personnel had shifted about 5000 stranded people to safe places by helicopters.

He said that another 2500 people were stranded in flood water in Toba Kakari in Pishin district and added that a rescue operation would be taken up in the area soon. He said that a C-130 aircraft carrying 10,000 kilograms of foodstuff had arrived in Pasni on Monday from Karachi which was later distributed among the affected people.

The Red Crescent Society of Pakistan has also dispatched relief goods, including tents, blankets, gas cylinders, cotton rolls, drips and other essential items to Pasni.

When asked about the exact number of people killed and missing in Mekran, Mr Bugti said the government was collecting information and was not in a position to give the exact figure at this stage.