QUETTA: At least eight people were killed and over two dozen injured and 300 mud houses damaged as heavy pre-monsoon rains starting on Friday continued on Saturday, lashing different areas of Balochistan.

The heavy rains on the Suleman mountain range also triggered huge landslide between Danasar and Dera Ismail Khan area of Sherani district, suspending traffic on Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan Highway.

Officials said heavy downpours lashed the Zhob, Sherani, Qila Saifullah, Barkhan, Musakhail and Loralai areas of the province.

A huge portion of the National Highway linking Quetta with Islamabad via Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan was blocked due to landing of heavy boulders on the highway in the Danasar area, suspending all kinds of traffic on the highway between Sherani and D. I. Khan.

Rains also trigger heavy landslide between Danasar and Dera Ismail Khan, suspending traffic on the highway

Hundreds of passenger coaches, buses, cars and trucks carrying passengers and goods remained stuck on both sides of Danasar and Sherani areas.

The deputy commissioner of Sherani district, Sana Mahjabeen, said that during the highway closure, food items and water were provided by the district administration to the people stranded there.

She said that soon after receiving information about landslides, the local administration rushed to Danasar and launched an operation to remove huge boulders and mud from the highway.

Levies Force and local administration stopped traffic on both sides of Danasar and Dera Ismail Khan to let boulders and mud removal operations continue unhindered.

Rescue teams of the National Highway Authority also reached the affected area to help restore traffic on the highway.

“We immediately shifted heavy machinery to Danasar area for removing boulders and mud to restore traffic on the highway as soon as possible,” a spokesperson for the NHA claimed, adding that a big portion of the highway has been badly affected as the Suleman Range is still receiving heavy rains and there is also the possibility of more landslides in the area.

Officials said that eight deaths were reported in rain-related incidents in different areas of the province so far.

In Barkhan area, three people were killed when the roof of their house collapsed during heavy rain. Two other rain-related deaths were reported from Sui area of Dera Bugti district. A man was electrocuted in Dera Bugti district while two people died in Khuzdar and Jhal Magsi in rain-related incidents.

The N-70 highway, which connects KP with Balo­chistan, was closed for traffic due to heavy rains, the Provincial Disaster Mana­gement Authority (PDMA) announced.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Depart­ment, Khuzdar, Awaran and Lasbela areas of Balochistan are likely to receive further downpour.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, announced late Saturday night that traffic has been partially restored on Zhob-D.I. Khan Highway for light vehicles.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2024