File Photo: PDMA's rescue teams rescuing women and children stranded in floods in Lasbela Balochistan: Photo grabbed from a video provided by DGPR

Ilyas Kamboh, Manan Mandokhail, Syed Ali Shah:

QUETTA, LASBELA: Hundreds of people were stranded in flood water after torrential rains played havoc in Balochistan’s Lasbela, Jhal Magsi, Kech, Panjgur, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah and Khuzdar districts. “The third spell of monsoon has inflicted heavy damages in Lasbela”, Naseer Ahmed Nasar, the Director-General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.

Videos shared on social media networks showed dozens of men, women and children stranded in flood water in the Lasbela district of Balochistan. PDMA rescue workers have been evacuating the affected people to safer places for the last two days. “A child died, others are at risk”, a black-bearded flood-affected young man laments in a video. The video was widely shared on social media networks. The man said, “three days on, no helicopter and nothing came to our rescue”.

Also Read: Monsoon rains claim 45 lives in Balochistan

Floods swept away various portions of the Quetta-Karachi highway

Flash floods unleashed by heavy rainfall swept away different portions of the Quetta-Karachi highway, which has caused the suspension of traffic. Commissioner Kalat Division, Muhammad Dawood Khilji has directed the transporters and private vehicle owners to avoid traveling on the national highway.

“We are making efforts to ensure restoration of traffic by tomorrow”, Mr. Khilji told the Daily Quetta Voice. He said the administration was providing foodstuff to the people stranded at various locations on the highway.

Also Read: Torrential rain exposed drainage system in Quetta

“I have been stranded in floods since yesterday”, Muhammad Ismail, a resident of Lasbela told this scribe via telephone. He said floods have affected the communication system and caused the disruption of the internet in the area. “We are waiting for the DPMA’s rescue teams”, Mr. Ismail said.

Like Ismail, hundreds of people were stranded and some of them sought refuge in their hut-like houses to protect themselves from floods.

“PDMA using Balochistan government helicopter”

The Balochistan Chief Minister, Mir Quddus Bizenjo directed the PDMA and civil administration to double their efforts to rescue the stranded people. “PDMA using the government’s helicopter on the directives of the CM in the rescue and relief operation”, the Spokesman CM Secretariat told Daily Quetta Voice.

Also Read Loralai: A heroic man saves lives of 5 people stranded in floods

Floods have also swept away the main bridge connecting Balochistan with Sindh at Hub. This has caused the suspension of a road link with Sindh province. Former Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan took to social media network Twitter and shared the damaged bridge.

Floods have also swept away the main bridge in Panjgur causing the suspension of traffic with the rest of the province.

Floods have wreaked havoc in various parts of Balochistan, caused the suspension of traffic, and destroyed standing crops on 197000 acres of land. Floods have also damaged over 6,000 mudwalled houses in the province.

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Quetta Voice is an English Daily covering all unfolding political, economic and social issues relating to Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province in terms of area. QV's main focus is on stories related to education, promotion of quality education and publishing reports about out of school children in the province. QV has also a vigilant eye on health, climate change and other key sectors.