QUETTA, Feb 15: The Balochistan cabinet on Tuesday asked the federal government to declare province a calamity-hit area in view of huge losses caused by heavy rain and snowfall.

The cabinet, in its meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf, praised the army for carrying out immediate relief operation in the worst affected areas. It decided to form a committee comprising the chief secretary and provincial secretaries to identify areas needing relief.

"Huge losses (to life and property) occurred in Balochistan due to recent heavy rains and snowfall but they ended the eight-year-long drought," the cabinet observed.

It decided to utilize all available resources and seek help of the federal government and donor agencies for rehabilitation of the affected people and restoration of communication links and irrigation and drinking water schemes.

The cabinet directed all the departments and officials concerned to work on an emergency basis to restore communication links so that rehabilitation work could start immediately.

It decided to speed up relief activities and directed the Board of Revenue to complete the assessment of losses caused by floods in Makran and other areas as soon as possible, so that steps for payment of compensation could be taken.

Irrigation officials were asked to keep a watch on the storage situation in all reservoirs and be prepared to face any emergency. The cabinet asked the food department to provide additional quantities of wheat to the affected areas. All cabinet members decided to donate their one month's salary to the rehabilitation fund.

Chief Secretary Mohammad Naeem Khan, briefing the cabinet on the situation, said 56 deaths had been confirmed in Pasni, Gwadar, Lasbela, Pishin, Kohlu and Qila Abdullah. He said the damage to property was huge. He said the provincial government had provided necessary funds to all the affected districts and Rs10 million more would be given very soon.

Irrigation Secretary Abdul Salam Khan said the 166 dams in the province had stored 100,000 acre-feet of water and the department was continuously watching the situation. The cabinet also reviewed the law and order situation in the province.