Disrupting life: Heavy rains drench parts of Balochistan

Four people dead as floodwater washes away mud-houses and swamps crops.

QUETTA:

At least four people were killed on Friday when heavy rains washed away mud-houses and swamped crops in parts of Balochistan.

Widespread rains submerged low-lying areas and washed away bridges in eastern districts of the province. The water flow in the seasonal rivers of Ziarat Valley rose above the normal level, endangering villages on their banks.

At least three people drowned while two were rescued after a passenger van was swept away by a hill torrent in the Shah Noorani area of Lasbela district.

Scores of mud-houses collapsed in Dera Murad Jamali, Tambu, Dera Allah Yar, Sohbatpur and other areas of eastern Balochistan.

Following heavy downpour in the upper reaches of Nari, other rivers were flooded. The Nari Headworks recorded a flow of 143,000 cusecs in the lower reaches which swamped standing crops on hundreds of acres of land. Agriculture experts, however, say the monsoon rain is a blessing in disguise as it will result in bumper crops of rice and cotton in Sibi and Kachhi plains.

In Jhalawan, flash floods washed away many bridges and roads. On the other hand, light rain provided relief to people from sultry weather in Barkhan. In the Suleiman Hills region, heavy downpour disrupted communication lines and ensuing floods damaged roads and bridges.  The met office has forecast more rains in these areas in the next 24 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2012.