Intermittent and heavy rain continued to lash parts of Balochistan on Saturday, rendering hundreds of people homeless in several districts as authorities scrambled to rescue them.

Rainfall was reported in Lasbela, Pishin, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Ziarat, Harnai, Duki, Sanjavi, Loralai, Fort Minro, Barkhan, Zhob and Sherani areas in the last 24 hours.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), six people were killed during flash floods in Qilla Abdullah late Friday night, taking the total number of rain-related deaths in the province from June 1 to 188.

In Lasbela, water entered houses after the Winder River overflowed leaving several families homeless. They were later rescued and moved to safer locations by rescue teams.

Lasbela Deputy Commissioner Murad Kasi told Dawn.com that rivers and canals in Windar and Othal had flooded due to non-stop rain in the last few days. "The RCD road and Othal bridge have been washed away.

"As a precautionary measure we have moved the residents to safer locations," he said, advising people to avoid traveling to the districts.

In Qila Abdullah, three dams were washed away and several link roads were destroyed, a report by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. Local authorities said that scores of cattle had perished during the downpours, while crops spread over acres of land were ruined.

Meanwhile, traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway was suspended on Saturday, disconnecting Balochistan from Sindh. The train service between Chaman and Quetta has also been affected due to floodwater.

Separately, Kalat Commissioner Dawood Khilji said that the recently established alternate route near the Landa area of Uthal on the National Highway had been washed away by floods.

Earlier today, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo expressed grave concern over the massive damage in Qila Abdullah, Chaman, Lasbela, and Muslim Bagh due to heavy rains.

"He contacted public representatives and district administration officials of the flood-ravaged areas and directed them to visit the affected areas and provide all possible help to the affectees," a statement on Radio Pakistan said.

Bizenjo also directed the immediate rescue of the people trapped in flood water.

At a press conference later in the day, Adviser to Balochistan Chief Minister on Home and Provincial Disaster Management Authority Mir Ziaullah Langove said that the highest amount of rainfall during the latest monsoon spell was reported in Northern Balochistan.

Giving details of the damages, he revealed that agricultural land spread over 500,000 acres had been damaged, while over 40,000 houses across the province were reduced to rubble.

"More than 2,100kms of national highways and 25 bridges were damaged during the monsoon rains," he said.

"Amid these conditions, an emergency has been imposed in 26 out of 34 districts."

Langove added that the PDMA along with district authorities were conducting relief operations in all rain-affected areas. "Nearly 30,000 people have been provided tents and food items, while medical camps have been set up in several areas."

Four die in Karachi

Meanwhile, in Karachi, four people died in rain-related incidents on Saturday, police and hospital sources told Dawn.com.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that three of the victims were electrocuted, while the fourth drowned in Lyari river.

Naeem Abbas, 22, was brought from Gulshan-i-Iqbal to Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre. The cause of his death was electrocution.

Another deceased, identified as Ali Mohammed, 45, was brought from Juma Goth, Al-Falah area of Malir. Edhi Foundation spokesperson said that Ali was electrocuted while he was working at a house near Noordin Garden.

Separately, a 23-year-old man identified as Qurban Saeed died due to electric shock in Gulshan-i-Ghazi in Baldia Town. His body was moved to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Meanwhile, Pak Colony Station House Officer Mohammed Ashfaq said a man in his mid-40s drowned in Lyari river near Dhobi Ghat. He said it appeared that the man drowned somewhere else and his body was floating near Dhobi Ghat.

Rain was recorded in several areas of Karachi such as Sharae Faisal, Defense, Saddar and Clifton on Saturday morning, DawnNewsTV reported.

The Met office has predicted more showers in the city in the upcoming days coupled with thunderstorms.

Parts of Sindh declared 'calamity affected'

Meanwhile, the Sindh government declared 145 dehs in the province as a "calamity affected area", according to a notification by the relief department.

The dehs were in districts of Kambar-Shahdadkot, Matiari, Thatta, Dadu, Badin, Jamshoro, Sanghar, Naushahro Feroze and Khairpur.

The notification said the aforementioned dehs and their people had suffered heavy losses due to rains from the current monsoon season.