QUETTA/DERA MURAD JAMALI: Hundreds head of cattle were killed, power supply was suspended and a large number of people were rendered homeless as their makeshift houses were destroyed due to heavy rain and thunderstorm that hit a vast area of Kachhi district, officials said on Friday.

One person was killed and over 20 were injured in rain and thunderstorm-related incidents in Dhadar and Mushkaaf areas, according to reports.

Official sources said the heavy rain with thunderstorm started lashing Dhadar, the headquarters of Kachhi district, and other areas on Thursday night, followed by a hailstorm which continued for two hours.

Hundreds head of cattle killed in Kachhi district

“Over 500 cattle head, including goats and sheep, were killed only in the Mushkaaf area of Kachhi district,” Tehsildar of Dhadar Naimatullah Tareen claimed. He said that according to reports the numbers of killed cattle head was very high as a vast area was battered by heavy rain and thunderstorm.

He said most of the cattle head were killed because they were in open places hit by heavy hailstorm.

Rooftops of many houses collapsed. Standing crops, vegetable fields and fruit trees were also damaged.

Power supply was suspended in Dhadar, Mushkaaf and other areas of Kachhi district as a pylon of 132KV double circuit transmission line was uprooted near Dhadar area.

Spokesman for Quetta Electric Supply Company Afzal Baloch said engineers and other staff had reached the area and started work to replace the damaged pylon. “Power supply will be restored soon after the repair work is completed,” the spokesman said.

Heavy rain and thunderstorm also lashed many areas of Nasirabad district. Dozens of mud houses collapsed and standing crops were damaged. Traffic on Quetta-Sukkur highway was suspended for some time while power supply was also suspended in many areas.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021