July 07, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1428

QUETTA, July 6: Floodwater has stopped flowing downstream submerging a large area of the Jaffarabad district as the Sindh government has blocked surging torrents by constructing an embankment to save Shahdadkot, a town on the Balochistan border.

The floodwater coming from different seasonal rivers of Balochistan first hit the Jhal Magsi district and later moved towards Nasirabad and Jaffarabad districts causing massive destruction. Thousands of houses have been washed away in addition to livestock and human losses in both the districts.

Sources said the floodwater breached the Khirthar Canal inundating a large area of the Jaffarabad district and now it was moving towards downstream, but getting no way to fall in the Manchhar Lake as it has been stopped through a protection bund.

Balochistan Home Secretary Tariq Ayub, while confirming the Sindh government’s move, said that with the stoppage of natural flow of water towards the Manchhar Lake, the flood situation in Jaffarabad was getting worse.

Briefing newsmen along with Relief Commissioner Khuda Bakhsh Baloch and Colonel Aamer of Southern Command Headquarters about the flood situation here on Friday, he said that the Balochistan government was making efforts to resolve this issue. He said that the provincial irrigation secretary and other officials concerned were present at the site and holding negotiations with the Sindh government officials.

“I am hopeful the issue would be resolved amicably,” Tariq Ayub said. He said that Gandawah area of Jhal Magsi was still under water and there was no road connection to reach the affected areas.

However, helicopters have been dropping relief goods for the marooned people who have taken shelter at safer places. He said the situation in other flood-hit areas was improving as no more rains were reported in the catchment areas of seasonal rivers of Balochistan. He said that power supply had been restored to Turbat, Panjgur and Gwadar, but Pasni was still without electricity.

Mr Tariq Ayub said that 46 trucks with relief goods were reaching from Punjab and these items would be distributed in Nasirabad, Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad and Bolan areas. He appealed to Punjab and Sindh governments to send more assistance. He said, “We have enough relief goods and there is no shortage of medicines”.

Replying to a question, he said that the government was also assessing losses in Loralai, Pishin, Ziarat, Harnai and other areas of northern Balochistan and would provide all help to the affected people. He said that Loralai was given Rs2 million.