Emergency was declared in several parts of Balochistan on Wednesday after torrential rains flooded houses and inundated connecting roads, particularly in the coastal belt of the province, where troops were called out to help the civilian administration in a massive rescue operation.
Soldiers joined the Gwadar district administration for help, as dozens of mudhouses collapsed, while floodwaters entered settlements and alleys and roads turned into pools after heavy rains pummelled the coastal district, the military said.
On the other hand, heavy snowfall in Kan Mehtarzai and Ziarat made the roads in these areas unpassable, suspending traffic on the national highway. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that the highway was reopened late on Wednesday.
Officials described the situation in the coastal areas of Balochistan as catastrophic, as the first-ever significant rain spell of the winter, which started on Monday evening, continued intermittently till Wednesday morning.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the worst-affected areas included Old Town Gwadar, Sorbandar and Pashukan. The media wing of the military said that the army was using small and large machines in Gwadar city and its neighbourhoods to drain water from the inundated streets.
“Relief operations are under way in Gwadar, Sorbandar and the areas adjacent to East Bay Expressway,” the ISPR said.
“The Pakistan Army continued its relief operations in collaboration with the civil administration and ensured the provision of rations, tents and beds among the people.”
Similarly, the FC Balochistan carried out relief activities in the flood-affected areas of Tump, Mand, Balngur area of Kech district. The troops shifted the locals to safer places. Work had also been started to restore link roads in these areas.
Also read: Balochistan coastal belt reels under the effects of Cyclone Shaheen
According to ISPR, food and shelter had been provided to locals in Pasni, Sorbandar, Nagor and Jivani areas. “Pakistan army and navy troops are busy in rescue and relief efforts in the flood-affected areas of Gawadar,” it said.
PDMA Deputy Director Faisal Tariq said that heavy snowfall continued overnight in Ziarat and Qala Saifullah and Kan Mehtarzai. Due to the snowfall, national highways were closed and an immediate operation was launched in Kan Mehtarzai to remove snow from the roads.
“We are trying to keep the cities clear during the snowfall and all possible facilities are being provided to the people and tourists in the area,” the deputy commissioner of Ziarat said. “All the teams of the PDMA are busy in the rescue work,” said PDMA Deputy Director Faisal Tariq.
The PDMA declared “emergency in Tehsil Gwadar, Tehsil Pasni District Gwadar and Sub Tehsil Balnigor District Kech. According to a notification, these areas had been declared as “calamity-hit area due to heavy rainfall and storm with immediate effect”.
The rainfall recorded in different parts of Balochistan during the last 24 hours, included 115 millimetres in Pasni, 64mm in Gawadar, 60mm in Ormara, 42mm in Khuzdar, 29mm in Panjgur, 27mm in Jiwani, 25mm in Turbat, 21mm in Lasbella, 18 mm in Sheikh Manda, Quetta and 17 mm in Samungli.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more heavy rains and snowfall at some places this week. It said that rains would pummel Balochistan with more intensity from Thursday (today) and spread over to the upper areas on Friday (tomorrow).
More snowfall was expected in Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Qila Abdullah, Harnai and Chaman on Thursday and Friday. The PMD advised farmers to make timely arrangements for draining the rainwater, while it warned tourists to be careful.
Due to snowfall in the provincial capital Quetta, Ziarat, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Pishin and Zhob districts, the mountain ranges were covered with white sheet. After the rain and snow, temperature also dropped in areas, including Barkhan, Gwadar, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Panjgur and Pasni.
Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bezenjo, while talking to the media during a visit to the PDMA office, said that the provincial government had decided to declare Gwadar district a calamity-hit area and issued orders to the chief secretary to take steps in this regard.
“Huge losses occurred in Gwadar and Kech districts due to heavy rains in the Makran coast the other day,” Bizenjo said. The authorities concerned, including army, navy, Frontier Corps, police and levies have started rescue and relief operations immediately,” he added.
The chief minister said that the government had issued an alert and dispatched relief goods and necessary machinery well before the rain started. “It brought good results as the people were provided relief immediately,” he said, adding that the closed roads were reopened within 24 hours.
Responding to a question, Bezenjo said that the government had taken notice of overcharging by hotels and rest house owners in Ziarat during the snowfall. “The local administration has then taken immediate steps. “We have opened government rest houses for the tourists in Ziarat,” he added.
(WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)
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