Balochistan rain toll: Rescuers retrieve 16 bodies in Shah Norani

QUETTA:

Rescuers wrapped up their mission on Saturday after pulling out 16 bodies from a stream in the Shah Noorani area of Khuzdar, district administration officials said.

The mission came to an end nearly 48 hours after a flash flood washed away village homes. At least 20 people were swept away from their homes in two villages on Thursday.

“The rescue operation has almost concluded in flood affected areas of Khuzdar district and adjacent locales after 16 bodies were retrieved from Shah Noorani stream on Saturday,” Deputy Commissioner Khuzdar Syed Abdul Wahid Shah said while addressing a news conference.

Torrential rains had caused an exceptional flood in Khuzdar district that damaged around 72 houses near the Shah Noorani stream on Thursday.

“All remaining bodies, mostly of missing women, had been retrieved from the river as the rescue mission concluded,” Abdul Wahid Shah said.

He said at least 72 houses were damaged due to the torrential rain while 20 mud houses were washed away towards the river after the unusual flood.

“District Administration, Frontier Corps (FC) and Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) participated in the rescue operation,” he informed the news reporters.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2015.