QUETTA: Flash floods continued to play havoc with the life and property of the people in Tambo tehsil, Ghandaka, Usta Mohammad and adjoining townships of Balochistan, where dozens of houses have been damaged and hundreds of people are marooned.
Ghandaka and nearby townships received heavy rains on Thursday night, causing trouble for the affected people who are forced to live in the open.
Sources said that the new torrents caused further damage in the affected areas, which included Ghot Ghulam Mohammad Jamali, Sibi Jadid, Bagh Thal, Ghot Doda Khan Sial, Fizal Faqeer and adjoining villages. The places cited above have been completely inundated following breaches in Turi Bund.
According to official sources, 112,000 cusecs of water gushing from the Nari River entered into Tambo tehsil of Naseerabad, which increased pressure in the Qabola River, as several breaches inundated more than 25 villages.
It may be mentioned that the Balochistan government will demand Rs100 billion from the federal government for the rehabilitation of the flood-devastated districts.
According to official sources, a committee set up to carry out surveys in the flood-affected districts has submitted its initial report.
It may be mentioned that losses of more than Rs100 billion have been reported.
“The provincial government will also decrease the non-development expenditure and divert the allocation towards rehabilitation,” a senior official said.
However, there are no indications that the MPAs will surrender their MPA funds to divert resources for relief operations.
Talking to the media, focal person for the flood relief affairs, Raheela Durrani has said that the federal government so far had provided Rs50 million only, and Balochistan will ask for more financial assistance once the survey is concluded.
The relief operations were resumed in the area and the stricken people are being taken to safer grounds. The land routes were also suspended between Tambo tehsil to the rest of the country, severely affecting the relief effort.
Thousands of people have been taking shelter near Saifullah Magsi Canal for the past 12 days.
“People are dying of hunger and there is no food and clean drinking water for the affected people, mainly women and children, who are suffering a lot,” Mohammad Khan, a survivor told The Express Tribune on phone. A single rescue helicopter was engaged in relief efforts and dropped food and clean water near Saifullah Magsi Canal.
According to Commissioner Naseerabad Division, Naseebullah Bazai, another three thousand marooned people from Ghandaka had been taken to safer grounds and relief goods are being distributed among them.
The road communication between Jaffarabad and Sindh again disrupted after new torrents inundated road links. The new flash floods also lashed villages of Usta Mohammad who remained intact earlier.
The rail service between Quetta to the rest of the country remained suspended on Friday and according to officials there is no chance of restoration of the service in the next two weeks. The track was washed away in different places in Naseerabad Division and a large portion is also into floodwater.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2010.
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