Thousands homeless in Balochistan
Hundreds of houses come crashing to the ground; standing crops suffer huge damage.
QUETTA:
Copious amounts of rainfall in Balochistan have rendered thousands of people homeless, ravaged standing crops and flattened human settlements. In areas ranging from Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Marri and Bugti Tribal areas, till downstream in Pat Feeder, the torrential rains have left a swathe of destruction.
Moreover, the provincial government has requested government of Sindh to close the Pat Feeder Canal from the Guddu Barrage as a rupture in the canal is expected as a result of massive torrents from the Marri and Bugti hills.
According to sources, the rainfall has adversely affected 11 districts of Balochistan, where shortage of food and drinking water has increased immensely.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that 10 persons have lost their lives in seven districts of Balochistan while 2,335 houses and standing crop spread over 3,182 acres of land have been destroyed. The losses run into millions of rupees.
Moreover, as many as 7,500 people have been rendered homeless. Communication lines, roads and bridges have also been washed away by the flash floods.
As many as 41 villages have been inundated in the district of Loralai. Administrative, residential and agricultural areas have also been flooded, causing substantial losses.
High-level meeting
Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani was held to review the crisis situation in the province.
The chief minister directed provincial legislators of the districts concerned that they should allocate Rs20 million each from their MPA funds for aid purposes. He also asked ministers to monitor relief efforts in their districts.
While briefing the participants of the meeting, officials of the PDMA and Chief Secretary Babar Fateh Muhammad Yaqoob said that as many as 11 districts have been adversely affected by the recent downpours. They added that relief work has begun and a sum of Rs500,000 has been dispatched to the commissioners of these districts
PDMA has mobilised its aid workers in the province’s flood-hit areas. They have also dispatched trucks loaded with tents and edible items for the flood-stricken people. The Met Office has predicted more rainfall in Naseerabad, Sibi and Zhob Division.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2012.
Copious amounts of rainfall in Balochistan have rendered thousands of people homeless, ravaged standing crops and flattened human settlements. In areas ranging from Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Marri and Bugti Tribal areas, till downstream in Pat Feeder, the torrential rains have left a swathe of destruction.
Moreover, the provincial government has requested government of Sindh to close the Pat Feeder Canal from the Guddu Barrage as a rupture in the canal is expected as a result of massive torrents from the Marri and Bugti hills.
According to sources, the rainfall has adversely affected 11 districts of Balochistan, where shortage of food and drinking water has increased immensely.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that 10 persons have lost their lives in seven districts of Balochistan while 2,335 houses and standing crop spread over 3,182 acres of land have been destroyed. The losses run into millions of rupees.
Moreover, as many as 7,500 people have been rendered homeless. Communication lines, roads and bridges have also been washed away by the flash floods.
As many as 41 villages have been inundated in the district of Loralai. Administrative, residential and agricultural areas have also been flooded, causing substantial losses.
High-level meeting
Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani was held to review the crisis situation in the province.
The chief minister directed provincial legislators of the districts concerned that they should allocate Rs20 million each from their MPA funds for aid purposes. He also asked ministers to monitor relief efforts in their districts.
While briefing the participants of the meeting, officials of the PDMA and Chief Secretary Babar Fateh Muhammad Yaqoob said that as many as 11 districts have been adversely affected by the recent downpours. They added that relief work has begun and a sum of Rs500,000 has been dispatched to the commissioners of these districts
PDMA has mobilised its aid workers in the province’s flood-hit areas. They have also dispatched trucks loaded with tents and edible items for the flood-stricken people. The Met Office has predicted more rainfall in Naseerabad, Sibi and Zhob Division.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2012.