QUETTA / DERA MURAD JAMALI: The death toll from torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan increased by 15 on Tuesday as heavy downpour continued to batter several districts, destroying houses and damaging infrastructure.

Officials said that the recent deaths were reported in Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Kohlu, Naushki and Lasbela where rainfall over the past 24 hours caused flash floods.

A man and his son were swept away in flash floods in Zhob while trying to cross a seasonal nullah, an official of the local administration in Zhob said, adding that their dead bodies were recovered by divers.

Heavy rains in catchment areas of streams were resulting in floods in different areas in Awaran while, the district still remained cut-off from other areas due to damage to roads and bridges.

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In Awaran’s towns of Mashkey and Gajjar stranded people were facing food shortage as relief goods were yet to reach the area. An official told Dawn that shops was running out of food and items of daily needs and if the traffic between Awaran and other areas was not restored, the situation could get worse.

Sources have said that vast area of Jhal Magsi, Gandawah and Jaffarabad were inundated as the Lehri River and other streams were still carrying heavy flood, hampering rescue and relief operations in the areas.

In Dera Bugti and Kohlu, continuous downpour on hills was flooding seasonal water channels, threatening people in downstream areas of Nasirabad.

Over 200 people were rescued from Oraki and other areas of Lasbela district who were stranded due to flash food for the last two days, a senior official of Lasbela district administration told Dawn.

APP adds: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday dispatched 1,000 ration bags for people affected by floods in Balochistan.

In a statement, the NDMA spokesperson said that relief goods were provided by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre which were handed over to deputy commissioners of Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Sohbatpur, Sibi and Kutch. The bangs contain flour, pulses, sugar and ghee.

The first shipment of 3,000 bags was sent to Balochistan on July 15.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2022