‘10,000 homes destroyed in Gwadar’

QUETTA: At least ten thousands houses are estimated to have been destroyed by Cyclone Phet in Gwadar, contrary to the figure of 400 mentioned by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

According to nongovernmental organisations, there are a total of 37,224 houses in Gwadar, out of which 9,736 houses had been completely damaged or washed away by the cyclone.

There were some very strong reactions to Chairman NDMA Gen. Nadeem’s statement that only around 200 fishing boats were destroyed and 400 houses were partially damaged.

Locals and political activists condemned the statement saying that Nadeem’s statement was a ploy by the government to deny substantial assistance to the affected people.

Earlier, the government had disallowed all foreign aid workers, humanitarian organisations and foreign friendly countries, including the US, to help the Baloch victims of the cyclonic rains. The affected people have moved back to their damaged homes from relief camps, however the government has so far failed to give any sort of damage assessment.

The severely affected areas include central and south Gwadar, Pishokan, Sur Bundar, Jiwani, Pasni city and some adjoining townships. In central Gwadar, people have started construction themselves. “The government is yet to announce when it plans to start the rehabilitation process,” Ghulam Mohammad, a local resident, said adding that he cannot wait for the government to get its act together and let his family live without a roof and boundary walls.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2010.