Syed Ali Shah, Manan Mandokhail:
Flash floods unleashed by heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Hanna Urak Quetta, Pakistan’s famous tourist point. Floods swept away houses, bridges, and roads in the lush green valley located in the middle of rugged mountains. “Floods swept away everything”, Israr Khan Kakar, a flood affectee told the Daily Quetta Voice on Friday evening.
Heavy rainfall and floods had destroyed standing apple trees and inflicted heavy damage to other standing crops in the area. The true face of the lush green valley famous for pleasant cold weather was completely distorted by the merciless floods.
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Israr Kakar, a mighty man with a black bushy beard bursts into tears when he recalled the night when floods swept away their homes. “My daughter calls for her school bag, which was swept away in floods”, he cried recalling the movement.
It is very difficult to drive on the already narrow and poor road severely damaged by floods. Residents of the area don’t allow tourists to enter the valley because of fear of the worst traffic jams.
“You are not allowed to go to the valley”, a man who identified himself as Ajab Khan Kakar, a member of the Hanna Urak Committee told the Daily Quetta Voice team. However, after showing press cards, the man allowed the team to cover the natural disaster.
“Floods inflicted heavy damages to our orchards”
Floods and heavy rainfall have also damaged apple orchards located in the mountain-ringed valley, which is home to what locals say 14,000 people. “Floods inflicted heavy damages to our orchards”, Zainuddin, another flood affected lamented.
The affected people demanded of the federal and provincial governments support them in these difficult times. “A bag of sugar and flour is not enough, we want our homes back”, Zainuddin said. He said the government has to relocate them and construct houses for them.
Balochistan and Sindh provinces have faced the brunt of recent monsoon rains, which unleashed flash floods. Most parts of the two provinces have been completely flooded and people have no space to live.
