QUETTA: Heavy rains lashed Quetta and parts of central and northern Balochistan for several hours on Monday, leading to flash floods in hill torrents in different areas.

Snowfall was witnessed in Ziarat, Toba Achakzai, Kan Mehtarzai, Muslim Bagh, Khakozai and the mountains around Quetta. The mercury dropped to minus eight degrees Celsius in Kalat.

A woman died and three members of her family were injured when the roof of a room of a mud-house in Quetta collapsed due to heavy rain late in the night. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital.

A man was swept away by floodwater in Chaman and another man and his two children were rescued while they were drowning in a Nullah in Qila Abdullah.

Most of Quetta’s roads turn into virtual streams

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has advised people to avoid travel between Quetta and Karachi / Ziarat and Chaman and Qila Abdullah as heavy rain continues to hit the areas.

It has also asked people not to cross seasonal nullahs on vehicles and bicycles as the Nullahs are likely to swell due to heavy rains.

Downpour was reported from Kalat, Mastung, Mangochar, Chaman, Pishin, Zhob, Qila Abdulla, Nushki, Kharan and many other parts of northern Balochistan. Mud-houses, which had already been weakened by the last week’s heavy snowfall, were damaged in different areas.

Parts of Qila Abdullah district, including Toba Achakzai and some villages, have been cut off from Chaman and other adjoining areas.

A man crossing Boghara Nullah on the outskirts of Chaman was swept away by floodwater. Another man and his two children were carried away by floodwater while they were crossing a stream in a pickup. However, the area people rescued them in injured condition and took them to the district hospital in Chaman.

Hill torrents have been roaring in Quetta valley and most of the city’s roads have turned into virtual streams, causing difficulties to pedestrians.

Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has put the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners on high alert to tackle any emergency. He has directed the PDMA to provide relief goods and food items to affected people.

Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattah has ordered the PDMA and the district authorities to remain alert to deal with any untoward situation. Emergency control rooms and focal points for disseminating information have been set up in the district headquarters.

The chief secretary has directed the authorities concerned to inform people in flood-prone areas about the situation and immediately stock relief goods, including food and tents.

The Met office has forecast more rain and snowfall in different areas of the province, including Quetta, during the next 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2017