Heavy rain, flooding claim five lives across country
• Two schools, BHU swept away in D.I. Khan; crops, roads damaged in several areas
• Situation in Dadu worsens due to continuous rain
• NDMA anticipates more rain, thunderstorm from Aug 20-24
QUETTA: As heavy rains lashed parts of the country on Monday claiming at least five lives in three provinces and causing considerable damage to infrastructure, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said it anticipated more rains and thundershowers with isolated heavy falls from August 20-24 in several regions.
While buildings of two schools and a basic health unit were swept away in Dera Ismail Khan and shops destroyed in South Waziristan, widespread damage was reported in Balochistan. Also, the situation in Dadu worsened following continued downpour.
According to the NDMA’s National Emergency Operations Centre, the rainfall between Tuesday and Saturday is likely in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and at scattered places in Balochistan, and advised the relevant authorities to make preparations to avoid flood-like situation.
Lightning, thunderstorm
Three people lost their lives in Balochistan as downpour with thunderstorm and lightning continued in many areas for the last three days.
The situation paralysed normal life in the affected areas, suspending vehicular traffic and damaging human settlements rendering hundreds of people without shelter.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said 19 people were killed and 11 others injured in rain-related incidents from July 1 to Aug 19.
On Monday, a 16-year-old girl and an infant girl were drowned in a dam in Pishin.
As a result of heavy rain in the mountainous areas, flash flood damaged the road network as it washed way link roads cutting off link of many districts with Quetta.
Traffic remained suspended between Quetta and Ziarat for hours as seasonal drains flew in high floods. Hundreds of people travelling between the two cities were stranded at various places.
Rainfall coupled with strong winds and thunderstorm continued in Khuzdar, Awaran, Lasbela, Panjgur, Kech, Gwadar, Kalat, Barkhan, Loralai, Kohlu, Sibi, Quetta, and other towns.
Continuous rain in Bela caused the Sheh stream to overflow and floodwaters entered Goth Notani and destroyed the cotton crop. A man, whose name could not be ascertained, was washed away by floodwaters.
The floodwaters also entered Goth Gador, submerging the girls’ school and several homes.
An overflowing Killi stream flooded various areas damaging agricultural lands and crops. The district administration and Levies officials distributed tents and other relief items to the affected people. In Manjhipur, the second monsoon spell caused further devastation before the recovery from the previous spell was even completed.
Two days of rains have led to breaches in the Och branch at two locations and in the Manjhoti branch at one location, affecting hundreds of people.
In Qila Abdullah, a vehicle trapped in a flood surge in the Kolk River was rescued. A driver risked his life to rescue seven people from the vehicle.
Floodwaters from Afghanistan and northern Balochistan are moving towards Noshki and Chagai. With increasing flow of water, land connectivity has been severed.
Rivers in several areas have overflowed, creating breaches in branch canals and submerging several villages and crops.
Landslide, damage in KP
In the katcha area of Dera Ismail Khan, water flow in the Indus River increased following rains with two primary schools and a BHU being swept away.
Assistant Commissioner Faseeh Ishaq Abbasi said that staff and machinery were deployed at the site for relief activities.
He said there was no more risk of flood as rainwater had passed through the Looni area of Kulachi and water level in Indus had also started to decrease.
Five shops were destroyed and 25 others suffered damage when floodwater entered Jandola bazaar in Lower South Waziristan district.
Meanwhile, the Gomal Zam Road opened for traffic after remaining shut for two days. It was blocked as rubble had accumulated after a downpour triggered landslide on Saturday. According to reports, two vehicles were damaged due to the landslide.
A 16-year-old boy, identified as Hazir Khan Mehsud, died when wall of his mud house collapsed. Agricultural lands along the banks of seasonal drains were damaged due to which the local Bittani tribesmen suffered heavy losses.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department stated that the weather system is a result of monsoon currents from Arabian Sea penetrating the southern and eastern parts of the country.
In Punjab, rains caused severe flooding in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur mountain drains, leading to widespread devastation.
The situation remains critical, particularly in the tribal areas.
Rain in other parts of Punjab caused urban and rural flooding. A child was killed and three family members were seriously injured in the Gul Kalan area of Narowal due to roof collapse.
Dadu situation worsens
The situation in the riverine areas of Dadu and katcha belt worsened following continuous rain.
The low flood surge at Dadu Moro Bridge severed land connectivity with 50 villages in the katcha area along the Indus River.
As the villages of Jhaloo, Moundar and Aminiani were flooded, irrigation officials started patrolling along the LS Larkana Sehwan bund and established watching points to monitor the water level.
In Johi the water in Nai Gaaj increased to 12 feet and entered the katcha area. As a result, the acess to 200 villages with the Johi city has been cut.
Local residents Akbar Lashari of Wahi Pandhi and Akbar Janwani of Tando Rahim Khan complained that rising waters had exacerbated the isolation of these areas, leaving the residents increasingly vulnerable.
Special Assistant to CM Sindh Mansoor Ahmed Shahani visited the FP bund near Johi and directed the administration to provide relief to the flood-hit residents.
Meanwhile, a 50-foot-wide breach occurred in the canal near Bhai Khan Lashari village, some 3km from Dadu city on Monday. The breach has led to severe flooding in Bhai Khan Lashari and Doodani Jamali villages, inundating several areas.
The breach also submerged the onion and paddy crops over around 100 acres.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the irrigation officials to protect the populated areas from inundation.
Muhammad Irfan Mughal in Dera Ismail Khan, Muhammad Sadqat in Haripur, Aamir Yasin in Islamabad, Adam Khan Wazir in South Waziristan, Qurban Ali Khushik in Dadu and Tariq Birmani in Dera Ghazi Khan contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2024