QUETTA, July 2: At least 20 more deaths were reported from the flood-affected districts of Balochistan on Monday. Continuing heavy rains and floods in the eastern Kachhi plains have rendered tens of thousands people homeless and a large number of villages have been washed away.

Official sources said that around 300 people were missing.

“Over 100 are still missing in Khuzdar district where 42 people have died,” the sources said. They added that 18 people were reported injured when houses collapsed in Mangochar area of Kalat district which was hit by hill torrents on Sunday night.

“Over 100,000 people have been rendered homeless in Balochistan while more rains and floodwater have been lashing the Kachhi plains,” Home Secretary Tariq Ayub said.

Briefing newsmen on the relief operation, he said that nine C-130 planes had brought relief goods which were supplied to Turbat, Gwadar, Pasni, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Bolan and Sibi areas by helicopters on Monday.

He said that the government was arranging tents and Islamabad had been asked to provide 50,000 tents. The federal government had assured to give 60,000 tents, he added.

He said that relief goods were also being supplied to Nushki, Kharan and Khuzdar by trucks while in Sibi and Bolan relief goods were being sent by trains. He said that 10 medical teams were set up for the affected areas with the help of army.

“We have asked local and international NGOs and aid agencies that government would welcome help and cooperation,” Mr. Ayub said.

Replying to a question, he said that boats were being arranged to rescue people still stranded in different areas of Nasirabad, Jhal Magsi and Jaffarabad.

He said that the road link between Quetta and Karachi through the RCD Highway could not be restored and the Coastal Highway could not be opened to traffic.

Relief operation has been going on but the damaged road communication was a great hurdle to supplying relief goods to the people who were still stuck in far-flung areas. Around 18 helicopters, which have been taking part in relief and rescue work in 15 districts, were not enough for supplying food and tents.

Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, who visited the flood-hit areas of Jhal Magsi, Nasirabad and Jaffarabad on Monday, also took an aerial view of the affected areas in the districts.

Gas supply remained suspended for the fifth day as Bolan River was still in high flood. The engineers and other staff of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) started work on the site but more water further swelled the river. “We are considering an alternative route to restore gas supply to Quetta,” SSGC General Manager Mushtaq Siddique said.

While the situation has improved a little in coastal areas and Turbat district, it has worsened in Jhal Magsi, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad and Bolan districts with more torrential rains and heavy floods in Lehri, Bolan and Nari rivers.

“Over a million cusecs of floodwater coming from central Balochistan, including Sarawan, Jhalawan and Marri Bugti hills, has been hitting these districts,” the sources told Dawn, adding that Jhal Magsi town was almost submerged and 10 people of the Gulab Khan village were swept away on Monday.

“Thousands of people were waiting for help in Jhal Magsi area,” Mrs Perveen Magsi, provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development, said.

The government should immediately arrange boats for rescuing the marooned people in Jhal Magsi, Nasirabad and Jaffarabad districts as one or two helicopters were not enough for relief operation in the vast area of Kachhi plains, she said.

Hundreds of houses were washed away and thousands of people had been marooned in different areas of Nasirabad and Jaffarabad.

“For the last three days we have been waiting for help and a large number of people who have lost their homes are sitting on the protection bunds or along roads,” Mir Khan Mohammad Khan Jamali, district Nazim, said. Head Bagh is the worst-affected area of Jaffarabad district with Kirthar canal has breached hitting a large number of villages in nine union councils of Gandakha.

The Tumbo subdivision of Nasirabad was also badly affected as floodwater coming from Jhal Magsi area has hit over two dozen villages, forcing the inhabitants to leave their homes.