QUETTA: A senior official in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province said on Wednesday three women and two children were killed after their vehicle was swept away in flood near Pishin district, taking the national death toll to 640 since the beginning of the monsoon season in mid-June.
Pakistan’s Meteorological Department warned last week that torrential rains were going to lash the country's southern region, saying they would continue until August 18.
So far, 201 residents of Balochistan have lost their lives in rains and floods since the beginning of the monsoon season in mid-June.
Speaking to Arab News, the deputy commissioner of Pishin, Zafar Ali, confirmed that a vehicle carrying women and children attempted to cross flood water while moving from Quetta to Killa Abdullah district when the accident took place.
“Locals told the driver to take another route since flood water was moving through the area, but he accelerated his vehicle which was swept away,” he said. “Three women and two children were killed in the incident.”
Ali informed that security forces had recovered the bodies from Mirani area of district Pishin, adding they had been handed over to the bereaved family.
Official statistics gathered by the provincial authorities reveal that more than 40,000 houses have been damaged in recent floods in Balochistan that have also affected 400,000 acres of agricultural land.
The situation has also made it difficult for the residents of the province to travel to other areas since train services to Sindh and Punjab have been suspended by the authorities.
“The district administration in Sibi has set an embankment to stop the flow of water toward the city,” Muhammad Kashif, a railway official, told Arab News. “Until water is drained out from the area, it will be difficult to resume train service since the tracks are completely covered with water.”
He informed the railway authorities were helping passengers travel to nearby towns by hiring buses, adding these people would then catch a train to their respective destinations.
Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to form a committee, chaired by the climate change minister, which would give its recommendations on launching projects to mitigate the impact of harsh weather conditions on the lives of people.
Pakistan is among the top eight countries most affected by climate change, though its share in the world carbon emissions is nearly one percent.
The flood forecasting division of the Pakistan Meteorological Department issued an alert on Tuesday, saying India had released 171,797 cusecs water which was likely to flood rivers in Pakistan.
