Tents, non-perishable eatables, medicine, blankets and clothes were included in the first stock. Squadron Leader Muhammad Nadeem, the PAF Public Relations Officer, told The Express Tribune that the air force is in constant touch with the local administrators who are asking for the relief goods and aid.
“There is no road link with Gwadar right now that is why the air force is concentrating on that area,” he explained. “We will keep sending the aid as long as the local administration keeps asking us for it and until a road link is established again.”
As heavy rainfall, some 370 millimetres, wreaked havoc in Gwadar as well as other coastal areas of Balochistan, under the influence of Cyclone Phet, fishermen’s launches worth millions were destroyed and the power supply system is down after taking a battering.
According to the PAF spokesperson, two planes will fly to the affected areas daily until the situation normalises.
The Navy too is doing their bit. Vice Admiral Asif Sandila announced that a shuttle service was providing relief goods via ship, adding that 55 tons of dry rations have already been sent to Gwadar during the last three days. “Around 180 fishing boats, carrying 1,700 people, were brought to shore safely,” said the vice admiral. “More than 500 people have been evacuated from the coastal areas,” he added.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Pakistan Navy spokesman Commander Salman Ali said 1,800 kilogrammes of medicine reached Gwadar on Tuesday via the PNS Zulfiqar, which was dispatched by the navy on Monday.
“We have also sent 10 de-flooding pumps to drain water from the areas,” said Ali, adding, “Bowsers have also been sent to the creek area to provide water for the people.”
PNS Khyber was also dispatched, which stopped at Ormara and stocked up on relief goods from the Jinnah Naval Base that has the navy’s ration storage, said Commander Ali. “Then the ship disembarked to Gwadar.”
The navy is also working on a salvage operation, in which they are trying to save the 107 fishing boats that have been damaged. “About 70 to 80 fishing boats have been brought safely to shore at East Bay,” said Ali.
On how long the situation will take to normalise, he said, “It is not a matter of days at all. I’m hoping it will get better within a week, but I honestly think it might even take longer than that.”
Affected areas in Sindh
Corp Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Shahid Iqbal visited relief camps in Badin, Gharo, Thatta and Mirpur Sakro, which are the most affected areas in Sindh. During the inspection, General Officer Commanding Hyderabad Brigadier Muhammad Sadiq gave the Corp Commander a briefing on the ongoing relief work.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army had re-opened the blocked road connecting Thatta to Karachi.
In Hyderabad, many areas remain flooded. Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) CEO Nazir Ahmed Shaikh admitted that the rainwater could not be drained out as the 12-hour power failure meant that the motors could not function.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, he said all the feeders that tripped and the transformers that were damaged in the cyclonic winds and rain have been repaired.
Conductors of a 132-kilovolt line from Thatta to Gharo were broken and 66 transformers were damaged in Hyderabad district alone, he said.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 9th, 2010.
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