QUETTA: Balochistan Minister for Information Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said on Monday that the second spell of heavy rains, flash floods and snowfall in different parts of Balochistan had caused destruction on large scale.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that a total of 13 people were killed and 12 others injured in rain-related incidents.

According to him, the local administration and security forces have between them rescued 28,000 stranded people.

He said that relief operations were in progress and that army helicopters were helping in distributing relief goods.

Minister says relief work being carried out with army, PDMA and FC cooperation

“The provincial government and all its departments relevant in this regard are fully functional and taking part in the rescue and relief operations, along with the Pakistan Army,” he said. The Director-General of the Provincial Disaster Manag­e­ment Authority (PDMA) Imran Zarkoon, and Director-General Public Relations of the provincial government Naeem Bazai accompanied the minister.

Mr Buledi informed attendees that the recent heavy rains, snowfall and floods had affected nine districts of the province, and explained that in the first phase [of response] the provincial government has provided tents, food sachets, and other necessary edibles. He added that the authorities had issued early warnings about the new spell of rain and snowfall across the province, but even so major damage has been reported.

“The spell of rain and snowfall that began on March 2 hit large parts of the province, killing 13 and injuring 12,” he explained. Referring to the relief and rescue operation that has been under way since Friday, according to the minister the Balochistan government has distributed 5,000 tents, food items, and other necessary goods amongst the people affected. “The Pakistan Army, the Frontier Corps Balochistan, and the PDMA participated in the relief operations,” he informed, “while the army rescued people stranded in floods in Turbat,” adding that the highways that were blocked by snow in Kan Mehtarzai, Zarghoon Ghar and Ziarat had been cleared and are now operational.

The minister said that all provincial departments are on board [the rescue operations] and officers remain on call, while all stranded people have been evacuated.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2019