Balochistan braces for next rain spell

Ministers order inquiry to determine why monsoon rains ‘washed away’ 12 dams

QUETTA:

The provincial ministers have said the Balochistan government is now well-prepared to cope with the next predicted monsoon rainfall in the province.

While addressing a news conference, Muhammad Khan Lehri, the irrigation minister, said that only 12 dams were washed away in the floods out of a total of 1,020 dams constructed in the province.

"We have ordered an inquiry to find out how those dams in the province were washed away," Lehri said.

Health Minister Syed Ehsan Shah, Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove and others were also present on the occasion.

The home minister said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) provided one month's ration to over 25,000 families in the flood-affected areas of the province.

He said rescue teams had evacuated thousands of stranded families to safer places in Lasbela, Jhal Magsi, Qilla Abdullah, Kech and other parts of Balochistan.

"Despite meagre resources, we provided support to every flood-affected person," Langove said, reiterating that flash floods unleashed by heavy rainfall claimed hundreds of lives across the province. “Over 1,000 people have sustained injuries in flood-related incidents.”

The health minister said the province has suffered a lot in terms of human as well as financial losses in the cycle of rains that has come after 30 years in Balochistan. “Floods have washed away highways, small roads, and dams.”

The health minister stated that the department established free medical camps in various parts of Balochistan to provide medical treatment to people injured in the flood-related incidents. He claimed that thousands of patients had been treated in the free medical camps.

Ehsan lauded Pakistan Army for launching rescue and relief operations in various parts of the province. He expressed concern over the martyrdom of Commander 12 Corps, Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali and other military officers. "Military officers sacrificed their lives while supporting the people of Balochistan," he said.

Langove said flash floods unleashed by torrential rains inflicted heavy financial losses in Quetta and other parts of the province. Rains played havoc in various parts of the province.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2022.