QUETTA: Heavy rains and flash floods continued to wreak havoc in Balochistan as 12 more people lost their lives in Musakhail and Washuk areas on Monday while many others were swept away in hill torrents and still missing.

Floods washed away another dam in Musakhail area. Two Levies officials were swept away in flash flood while returning from Washuk in their vehicle. Their bodies were later recovered.

Train service has been suspended between Quetta and the rest of the country as the main track between Sibi and Dera Murad Jamali has been washed away in floodwater.

Officials said Musakhail, Nasirabad, Washuk, Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Barkhan, Zhob, Sibi and Harnai districts had been receiving heavy downpour since Sunday evening. This caused massive destruction in Musakhail as floods in seasonal rivers and streams washed away several villages and rendered hundreds of people homeless.

CM says entire province facing crisis; PM orders BISP to provide Rs50,000 to each affected family

The Musakhail deputy commissioner said that over 12 people were swept away in floodwater after the breaking of Andarpose dam. He said that so far eight bodies had been recovered by rescue teams. Two children were killed in Rarasham area when the roof of their house caved in.

The officials said the road network and communication system were badly affected in Musakhail while power supply was suspended in the district. A village in Tilli tehsil was inundated due to breach of a protective dyke which forced the area people to leave their homes.

“Mal Ghshkori and Hambi villages were also affected as another protective dyke was breached,” the Sibi deputy commissioner told Dawn, adding that 60 houses were damaged in the two villages.

Presiding over a meeting to review the flood situation, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo said the entire province was passing through a very critical situation as torrential rains and flash floods caused massive destruction in almost all the 34 districts, washing away dams, bridges and road structure, besides heavy human losses.

The chief minister attended a meeting of the Relief Coordination Com­mittee, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, through video link. Mr Bizenjo briefed the meeting on the devastation cau­­sed by floods and said the entire province was affected by this natural calamity.

PM Sharif directed the Bena­zir Income Support Prog­ramme to provide Rs50,000 each as relief to the flood-affected families.

Bakhtawar Mian in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022