Flash floods destroy 400 houses, 200 shops

Minister says relief goods sent to affected areas

QUETTA: Minister for Public Health Engineering and WASA Haji Noor Muhammad Dumar along with Deputy Commissioner House Harnai on Thursday relayed that around 400 houses and more than 200 shops were completely destroyed by flash floods.

While addressing a press conference, Dumar said flash floods caused by a heavy downpour in Harnai town earlier this week damaged scores of houses, shops and crops apart from overflowing drains and leaving several parts of the town inundated.

He went on to add that damages were reported in Harnai town and the vicinity of Zarmana. “Valuables kept in shops and present in the house were also washed away by the torrent whereas the flash flood also damaged five-to-six acres of agriculture land filled with standing crops.”

Due to the rain, three trucks of relief goods on an emergency basis had been dispatched to the affected area whereas a survey to calculate damages is underway. Machinery was also provided to clear out the drains and relief goods were set to be distributed among affectees through the district administration.

Hailing the efforts of paramilitary forces including youth of the area, Dumar said due to their timely and hectic efforts no casualty occurred. “PC-I for the construction of protective drains on permanent basis  had already been completed while funds from Chief Minister special grant would be released soon as well.”

He also applauded the wealthy people and Non-government Organizations (NGOs) to support the affected masses because of the widespread damages that occurred. “Officials of the irrigation department had been alerted and also were directed to speed up refurbishment work of damaged drains.”

On the other hand, the provincial minister accompanying tribal elders visited the affected areas and examined the relief operation apart from issuing directives to concerned authorities on the spot.

Deputy Commissioner Harnai, District President Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Malik Israr-ul-Haq Tareen, Advocate Abdul Nasir, Haji Ghulam Jan Tareen and other district officers were also present during the press conference. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2020.