QUETTA / CHAGAI: Heavy rains, thunderstorms and hailstorms lashed several areas of Balochistan, including Quetta and many districts, disrupting lives and traffic and dropping the mercury on Thursday.

The weather caused urban flooding in some areas, submerging main roads and streets.

Ziarat and some other areas, including Kan Mehtarzai, Muslim Bagh and Khanozai were hit by snowfall, while Quetta and its surrounding areas received hailstorms.

The Met Office said on Thurs­day that heavy rains with thunderstorms and snowfall in different parts of northern, southern and central Balochistan would continue over the next 48 hours.

The Provincial Disaster Mana­g­e­ment Authority (PDMA) has issued a high alert and warned of flooding in seasonal streams and rivers. It has asked people living near rivers to shift to safer areas.

It said that strong winds were expected in Quetta, Zhob, Bar­khan, Sibi, Jaffarabad, Nasira­bad, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Jiwani, Lasbela, Dalbandin, Kalat, Khuzdar, Turbat, Awaran, Panjgur, Kech, Gwadar, Pasni and Makran in the next 24 hours.

Several parts of Chagai, Washuk, Kharan and Noshki districts also received heavy rains with dust storms and hailstorms in some areas on Thursday.

Chagai’s headquarters Dalban­din, Nokkundi and areas near the Pakistan-Iran border were gripped by a dust storm, affecting traffic flow on the RCD highway, which connects Taftan with the provincial capital Quetta.

A heavy hailstorm with showers was also reported in Noshki and its surroundings. The border town of Taftan, Nokkundi, Saindak and nearby areas also received rain after a dust storm.

Heavy and light showers were also reported in Basima, Naag, Washuk, Kharan and surrounding areas.

No loss of life was immediately reported. However, solar panels, billboards and windscreens of some vehicles were reportedly damaged due to the harsh weather.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2023