QUETTA / DERA MURAD JAMALI: The death toll from heavy rains and flash floods in Balochistan has risen to nine, after two more people lost their lives in the past 24 hours, while around a dozen others were injured and hundreds displaced as their homes were damaged, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Friday.

According to the PDMA, the latest fatalities were reported from Loralai, where two children drowned in floodwaters, while several others, including women and children, were injured due to collapsing roofs and walls in Loralai and Zhob.

The authority said that since March 20, continuous rains and flooding have claimed nine lives and injured 10 others.

The victims include men, women and children, with causes ranging from drowning to lightning strikes to roof and wall collapses.

Homes damaged, crops destroyed as heavy downpours continue across many districts

At least 150 houses have been damaged across districts including Kachhi, Zhob, Qila Abdullah and Harnai. Of these, 28 were completely destroyed and 122 partially damaged. Kachhi reported the highest number of affected homes, with around 100 structures damaged.

Heavy rains have also disrupted transport, particularly in Harnai and Kohlu, where several highways and link roads have been closed, affecting connectivity.

In Zhob, thunderstorms and hailstorms caused extensive crop damage worth millions of rupees and damaged infrastructure. In Sui tehsil, a young man died when a dilapidated house collapsed, while in Dera Bugti strong winds and rain damaged standing crops, including wheat.

Several districts, including Nasirabad, Jaffarabad and Jhal Magsi, reported collapsed mud houses, livestock losses and displacement. Power outages over the past 48 hours and blocked routes have further worsened conditions.

Severe flooding also hit parts of Kachhi and Dera Murad Jamali, damaging thousands of acres of crops and displacing numerous families.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2026