Farmers say rains washed away homes in several districts, destroy cherry crops. PHOTO: ONLINE
At least four people were killed on Monday as torrential rains swept away scores of homes across Awaran, Kech and other districts, destroying fruit crops and inundating vast tracts of land, an official said.
According to the head of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Hashim Ghilzai, the deaths occurred during the heavy rain that swept the province since last week.
Around 200 mud-walled homes collapsed near the bank of Hazar Ganji on the outskirts of Quetta.
“Relief trucks have been dispatched to Barkhan and Musakhail. PDMA is in contact with the district administrations of Awaran, Turbat, Ziarat, Musakhail, Duki, Loralai and Kalat,” Gilzai told reporters.
An official of the meteorological department said Barkhan received
67mm of rain, while Quetta received more than 30mm and Turbat experienced more than 20 mm of rain which is unusual for this time of the year.
“A lightning strike killed one person in Turbat, where another 12 people were injured in the rain-related incidents. Two persons died in Barkhan while a driver has gone missing in Bolan district,” the PDMA chief confirmed, adding that all local administrations have been asked to carry out damage assessment in their respective areas. The missing driver is feared dead.
Meanwhile, hundreds of mud houses collapsed in earthquake-hit Awaran, Kalat, Ziarat, Loralai and Barkhan following the heavy downpour.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2014.
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