QUETTA: Monsoon rains continued to pile miseries on Balochistan as 10 more people were killed during the last three days, while infrastructure, including houses, roads, and bridges were ruined.
As many as 200 houses were damaged in Qila Abdullah due to flash floods, while most link roads and bridges were washed away.
The rain-hit infrastructure badly affected the traffic movements at the Kohlu-Quetta National Highway. Besides this, an event related to Independence Day was also postponed due to extreme weather conditions.
In addition, two people drowned in flash floods in Toba Achakzai, while the lower areas were submerged in Barkhan, Rakhni, Dera Bugti, Sheerani, Koh-e-Sulieman, Ziarat and Qila Saifullah, The News reported.
Besides this, the areas of Maidani and Pachad are also at risk of submerging amid high flow in the riverbeds after heavy rains in Chaman and the mountain terrain of Koh-e-Sulieman.
The woes of Balochistan are far from ending as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rains not only in the province, but also in Sindh and South Punjab.
The Met Office, in a statement, said that depression has developed in Arabian Sea which is likely to move towards the west along the Makran coast.
Due to this weather system, monsoon currents are continuously penetrating in southern parts of the country. Another low pressure (LPA) is likely to approach Sindh on 16th August.
Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rain-wind/thundershowers — with scattered heavy to very heavy falls — are expected in Sindh and Balochistan from August 16-18 with occasional gaps.
It warned that flash flooding is expected in Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Mosa Khel, Sherani, Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Khuzdar, and Lasbella, Awaran, Turbat, Panjgur, Pasni, Jiwani, Ormara, Gwadar from August 14-18.
The Met asked fishermen to remain more cautious from August 16-18. It also asked travelers and tourists to remain more cautious during the forecast period.
Moreover, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday dispatched further relief goods along with assistance provided by Saudi Relief to the flood-hit areas of Balochistan.
The NDMA throughout its flood management activities provided most of the relief goods to the affected areas of Balochistan, a news release issued here said.
The relief items extended till August 13 included ration bags being provided for 39,000 people so far.
