QUETTA: At least two people were killed and hundreds were rendered homeless when a large number of houses were washed away by flash floods caused by torrential rain and snowfall in Quetta and other areas in northern and central Balochistan over the past three days.

Frontier Corps personnel have been called in by the administration in Nushki to evacuate hundreds of people marooned in several flooded villages. “Two people crossing a seasonal stream in Ziarat were swept away,” official sources said, adding that local people had rescued another person.

Traffic between Ziarat and Loralai via Sanjavi was suspended after heavy snowfall in the valley. “Four feet of snow fell in the hilly areas of Ziarat and about six inches in the town in 24 hours,” a resident said.

Traffic to several cities and towns was suspended because of landslides and flooded highways. Parts of the railway track between Quetta and the Iranian border were also under water.

At least 70 houses were washed away by hill torrents in Nushki and over a dozen houses collapsed in Huda and Khrotabad areas of the provincial capital. Floodwaters entered a large number of houses. Parts of Chagai district were also affected.

Minister for Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Babu Mohammad Rahim Mengal said a relief operation had been launched.

The Bour Nullah entering Nushki from Afghanistan inundated thousands of acres of land in Dak area.

“At least 25 mud-houses were washed away in Chagai tehsil,” Naib Tehsildar Abdul Basit said.

“The Quetta-Taftan rail track was washed away at at least four places,” officials said. Chagai Deputy Commissioner Dr Saeed Jamali said a large part of the district had been inundated and details of losses were being collected.

The minister in charge of the PDMA visited the affected area in Nushki and said 200 blankets, 200 tents and food items had been sent to Nushki and Chagai districts.

He said relief camps would be set up in government buildings for displaced people.

Landslides suspended traffic on the Khuzdar-Shahdadkot highway.

Traffic between Quetta and Karachi was disrupted for several hours because of heavy rain in Khuzdar district.

A bridge on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway was washed away near Mastung.

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani ordered the officials concerned to immediately send relief goods for the affected people.