At least 17 people dead as monsoon rains lash Pakistan’s southwestern province

QUETTA: The recent spell of monsoon rains that started last week in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province has claimed at least 17 lives and uprooted hundreds of people from their hometowns, confirmed a provincial minister while talking to Arab News on Saturday.
The country’s Met Office had forecast heavy downpour and possible floods in the province on July 9, saying the seasonal rain spell was likely to continue for about two weeks.
As monsoon began, it damaged hundreds of mud houses in Balochistan where several districts reported wall collapse incidents.
“The Provincial Disaster Management Authority [PDMA] in Balochistan has been working with district administrations to rescue people stranded in floods,” said Meer Zia Langove, a provincial minister who oversees the PDMA. “They are also trying to provide people necessary relief items as quickly as possible.”
Several districts, including Sorab, Sibi, Chaghi, Kohlu and Zhob, have been affected by heavy monsoon rains since the rough weather system entered Balochistan.
“Following the monsoon prediction of the Met Office, we released Rs113 million to deputy commissioners to ensure they prepared for rescue and relief operations,” he continued. “Our heavy machinery and staff are currently engaged in the affected districts.”
Floods and heavy rains accompanied by windstorms have partially damaged the Pak-Iran international railway track while the runway at the Dalbandin Airport has also been inundated.
Assistant Commissioner Chaghi Javed Domki told Arab News that two people were killed in a wall collapse incident in Dalbandin while several mud houses had collapsed in the area.
“We are doing our best to divert the flood that is heading toward villages with the help of PDMA,” he added. “Other than that, we have distributed food supplies along with tents and blankets among 180 families in the district.”