The Pakistan Army on Friday continued rescue and relief efforts in the flood-hit districts of Balochistan, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which left thousands of people stranded across the country.

Relentless monsoon rains have taken scores of lives and damaged infrastructure in rural areas and cities, which Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said broke a 30-year record in Sindh and Balochistan.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set up a committee to assess the damage caused by the monsoon rains across the country and submit a report by August 4.

Balochistan

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), a high-level flood was reported in Noshki due the relentless rains last night. Hundreds of people were left stranded after their houses were swept away by the water.

In a statement issued today, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Balochistan has received “467 per cent of additional unprecedented rains from July 1”.

Twenty-nine districts of Balochistan have been affected due to recent rains/flash floods particularly Lasbela, Kech, Quetta, Sibbi, Khuzdar and Kohlu.

The army’s media affairs wing said five medical camps have been established in flood-hit areas including Hub, Gaddani, Bela and Duddar and Jhal Magsi.

In Othal, 2,300 people of four villages have been shifted to safer places and cooked meals were provided to them.

“N-25 Highway connecting Quetta [and] Karachi has been opened for traffic which was blocked at 4 different places due to collapse of bridges.”

It added that telecommunication lines had also been restored in most areas, particularly district Lasbela after coordination with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The ISPR said that army dewatering teams had cleared the Gwadar area, while the coastal highway blocked at Aghore too had been opened for traffic.

“In Jhal Magsi, four sorties of Army aviation helicopters operated delivering 1.3 tons of relief items including rations and medicines,” it stated, adding 200 people were evacuated from the area, while efforts were underway to repair two roads damaged in the rains.

The ISPR went on that water levels were still high in Khuzdar’s Mula River and work on the connectivity of M-8 motorway would resume after the water receded.

“General Officer Commanding at Khuzdar visited Bela and surroundings to oversee relief efforts.”

Rescue and relief work by the army, Frontier Corps and Pakistan Coast Guard was also underway in Chaman, Lasbela, Zho, Kila Saifullah, Ziarat and Quetta, the ISPR said.

Sindh

Meanwhile, the ISPR said, dewatering teams of the armed forces had also been employed in Karachi.

“The Gharo Grid Station at Thatta, which was flooded with water, has been cleared by the army’s dewatering teams.”

Separately, 300 individuals have been evacuated in Jamshoro, where relief camps have now been established. Ration and medicines was also being provided to the locals of Dadu and Khairpur.

It added that the M-9 motorway had been flooded at various places due to the overflow of Lath Dam. Dewatering teams along with heavy machinery have been employed to clear the road.

Gilgit-Baltistan

The ISPR also stated that the Karakoram Highway and Jaglot-Skardu road has been reopened after the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) cleared the roads of multiple landslides.

“District Ghizer was cut off due to flash flooding. Communication infrastructure [has] opened. Food and medicines were provided to local residents.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The ISPR also said that Tank, Chitral and Swabi have been badly affected by rains.

“Pakistan Army, Navy and FC/ Rangers troops are constantly assisting the civil administration and local communities in all flood affected areas,” it stated.

Additionally, the Chitral-Mastooj and Tank-Gomal Zam Dam roads have been opened for traffic.

Additional reporting by Ghalib Nihad