Flooded Balochistan districts still cut off

QUETTA: Roads, power transmission lines and train services linking the flood-affected districts of Sibi, Kohlu, Naseerabad, Kachhi, Jaffarabad and Barkhan with the rest of the country remained suspended on Sunday for the fourth consecutive day, following heavy rains that devastated the area.

However, some trucks loaded with relief goods reached the affected areas using alternate routes.

A new flash flood hit Tambo tehsil, a lush irrigated region in Naseerabad, submerging 30 villages. Around 30,000 people have been trapped and are homeless. However, no fresh casualties were reported.

Formal relief efforts have yet to begin in the area. Provincial minister Mir Sadiq Umrani did visit Tambo tehsil and distributed goods and food items.

Officials said that around 35 people, including women and children, were rescued from Thari Ahd area in Sibi by helicopter. They remained marooned for three days until they were brought to relief camps on Sunday.

Railway officials informed that repairs are being carried out in Baktiarabad area of Sibi and train services would restored in 24 hours.

According to Qesco officials, power supply will be restored as the flood waters recede form the affected areas.

The director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Mohammad Hassan Baloch, said losses had been reported in Talli, Sultan Kot, Baktiarabad and Kohlu. He claimed that the land route had been restored and rescue work was being carried out in all devastated areas.

“There were huge losses reported and all the roads had been washed away. Thus people were complaining about insufficient relief, but now as the land routes are being restored the PDMA and local administrations are making an all out-effort to address the problems of the affectees,” he added. Around 25 loaded trucks had reached the flood hit region, he said.

Speaking to Express 24/7, the PDMA chairman contradicted recent reports that over 50 people had been killed in flooding in Barkhan district, saying:  “It was generally said that 50 people had died in Barkhan. However, yesterday we confirmed that only 18 people had been killed. This was confirmed by the local authorities and army officials.”

Baloch said that eight to 10 people were missing ,dismissing the figure of 70 people.

He said that he had met with the chairman of the National Disaster Management Nadeem Ahmed authority yesterday, who conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas.

Meanwhile, locals continued to complain about insufficient relief efforts. No compensation has been announced for the flood victims yet, and the government has yet to start a survey of the affected areas where, according to officials, the losses could run into billions of rupees.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2010.