QUETTA, Aug 26 Dozens of houses were washed away in Sultanpur and Talli areas of Sibi district on Thursday when the Nari river swelled after heavy rain in hilly areas of Ziarat and Harnai.

Sources told Dawn that the river was in high flood and was devastating Sultanpur and Talli villages. Vast areas have come under water.

Meanwhile, floodwaters from the Tori dyke breach continue to threaten Jhal Magsi after inundating the town of Kot Magsi.
The authorities had declared the town safe a few days ago but fresh waves of raging waters coming from the breaches in the Saifullah Magsi canal are posing a new threat to the town.

A senior government official said that people had already started evacuating the town while the irrigation department staff and local administration were trying to save it.

The situation in the marooned Gandakha town remains critical with thousands of people remaining stranded.

Official sources said helicopters were needed immediately for evacuating people.They said that more water was entering Gandakha and another 15 villages had been inundated.

Senate Deputy Chairman Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali has arrived in the flood-affected areas of Jaffarabad after dispatching relief goods.

The water level in Dera Allahyar, Usta Mohammad, Sohbatpur, Rojhan Jamali, Kot Magsi and parts of Nasirabad districts swelled further because of increased water flow from the Tori dyke.

Official sources said that the district of Jaffarabad would continue to suffer till waters receded at the Guddu barrage and breaches in Tori dyke were plugged.