ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has started distribution of 873 tons of food items in Pakistan’s southwestern port city of Gwadar that was hit by torrential rains and floods this month, the Gwadar district administration said on Sunday.

Heavy rains that began late last month triggered floods in Gwadar and other parts of the southwestern Balochistan province. The deluges swept away nearly a hundred homes and forced authorities to launch operations to rescue thousands of stranded people.

Streets and neighborhoods in the deep-sea port city as well as Kharan and Kech districts were inundated with floodwater and at least five people were killed in the province, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to travel to Gwadar and announce compensation for the victims.

Last week, KSrelief said it had dispatched 9,000 food packages to Pakistan, with each package comprising 80 kilograms of flour, five liters of cooking oil, 5kg of sugar, 5kg of split chickpeas, and 2kg of dates, according to the Saudi charity.

“The distribution of 873 tons of relief rations sent by Saudi KSrelief has started in the rain-affected areas of Gwadar,” the district administration said in a statement on Sunday.

The relief goods were being distributed under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Tabish Baloch, ADC Revenue Sana Mahjabeen Umrani and Saudi representatives.

The distribution process began from the Zahoor Shah Hashmi ward in the rain-affected port city. “The district administration issued tokens for the distribution of relief materials to the victims after a survey,” the administration added.

In addition to food assistance, KSrelief said it was also providing 9,000 shelter kits, which included shelters, solar panels, blankets, plastic mats, kitchen sets, water coolers and antibacterial soap.

The charity said the comprehensive support would help 63,000 flood-affected people in Pakistan, offering crucial relief amid the crisis.