QUETTA: Five people, including four girls, lost their lives as torrential rains lashed most districts of Balochistan on Wednesday.

Flash floods and downpour also caused property losses in different areas. Balochistan’s road link with Karachi, Punjab and other parts of Sindh could not be restored despite the passage of 48 hours, forcing the authorities concerned to prepare alternative ways on Bolan and Hub Rivers.

Quetta and surrounding areas also received heavy rain, suspending power supply and disrupting internet service. The provincial capital remained without electricity for several hours while there is no power supply in surrounding areas.

Officials of the Quetta Electric Supply Company said some grids tripped due to rain. Later, power supply to Quetta was restored while work was underway to restore it in surrounding areas.

Dykes being strengthened to save Sibi town; road link with Punjab, Sindh remains affected; Hub dam almost filled to capacity

Heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorm continued to lash the northern, central and southern parts of the province causing flash floods in the mountainous areas. With their catchment areas continuously receiving showers, Bolan, Nai Gaj, Teli, Mola, Lehri and other seasonal rivers were flowing in flood.

According to reports, floodwater entered some villages close to the river in the Sibi area, forcing the residents to leave their houses for safe places. Many mud houses were damaged in Sibi, Nasirabad, Mashkel, Washuk, Jhal Magsi and some other areas. The district administration was helping the affected families move to safe places.

Technical staff, along with their colleagues from irrigation and other departments, were strengthening the dykes around Sibi to protect the town from flood as the Nari and other rivers passing through the area were carrying floodwater. The rivers bursting their banks have also affected the efforts for restoring the road link between Mach and Sibi through Pinjra bridge.

“We are making all-out efforts to restore traffic between Mach and Sibi by putting in place alternative arrangements near the Pinjra bridge which was swept away during the super flood last year,” officials of the National Highway Authority told Dawn. Hundreds of trucks, buses and other vehicles were stuck in the area.

Traffic on the Hub-Karachi road was suspended and could not be restored till Wednesday night.

Hub River received more floodwater as the catchment area was receiving heavy rains. Officials said the Hub dam was filled up to 337 feet against its capacity of 339.

According to officials, three girls drowned when they fell into a flooded watercourse, at a village in Sohbatpur district. The bodies were fished out and handed over to the grieving family.

A 12-year-girl was swept away by floodwaters in the Jhal Magsi area, while a man died in Khuzdar when lightning struck him during heavy rain and thunderstorm.

The federal secretary, communications, and NHA Chairman Mohammad Khurram Agha issued directives for an early restoration of traffic on roads affected by rains and floods in Balochistan. He also called for maintaining close liaison with provincial and local authorities to tackle any unpleasant situation.

On the directive of Federal Minister for Communications Asad Mehmood, the NHA chairman visited Balochistan to review the condition of flood-hit motorways and highways.

In Quetta, officials gave a briefing to the NHA chairman about flood-hit areas, including Pinjar bridge, Hub bridge, Wangu, Qila Saifullah and Khuzdar.

The meeting was informed that work at the under-construction Hub bridge has been stopped till the flood level goes down. At present, traffic is plying through Hub bypass and an alternative route between Hub city and Karachi Northern Bypass via Hub-Dureji road. NHA’s engineers, workers and machinery are engaged to restore the road network, officials said.

Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar and Ali Jan Mangi in Nasirabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2023