Rains, flash floods cut off Balochistan from other areas

QUETTA: Torrential rains and flash floods wreaked havoc in Balochistan on Tuesday as flash floods in several districts swept away roads, cutting off road links of the province with other parts of the county and inundating a large number of villages in Lasbela and other areas of the province.

According to reports the province has also been cut off from Karachi as a big portion of the alternative road constructed between Hub and Karachi was swept away by flash floods and now there is no road link left between Hub and Karachi.

The main bridge at the Hub river, which collapsed in the last year’s super flood, has not been rebuilt so far despite the passage of one year, causing huge problems for the masses.

Hub River bridge, which collapsed in last monsoon, has still not been reconstructed

Government officials said that Bolan and Nari rivers were carrying massive flood waters after heavy rains in Ziarat, Duki, Sanjavi, Loralai and Barkhan — the catchment areas of the two rivers.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that six people have lost their lives in Awaran, Khuzdar, Qila Saifullah, Zhob and other areas so far due to rains in the province.

“We are sending relief goods and food items for people affected by heavy rains and flash floods,” the PDMA director general said.

The traffic between Quetta and Sibi was suspended as the alternative road constructed to cross the Bolan river was swept away by raging waters of Bolan river on Tuesday.

The main Pinjra bridge on the Bolan river in Kachhi district was swept away in the last year’s supper flood and it has not been rebuilt by the National Highway Authority so far despite the passage of over one year.

The Railway bridge was also swept away by the last year’s super flood between Mach and Sibi causing more than nine-month suspension of rail services between Quetta and other parts of the country, but Pakistan Railways reconstructed the damaged bridge and restored the train traffic.

Hundreds trucks and other vehicles were stuck up at both sides of the damaged Pinjra bridge at the Bolan river, carrying food, fruit and other goods for Quetta and Afghanistan.

Reports reaching here from Hub area said that Hub river and other seasonal streams were carrying huge flood water in the Hub dam. According to Wapda officials, the total capacity of the Hub dam is 339 feet while the water level in the dam has reached 327 feet.

The local administration and officials concerned said they were monitoring the water level in the Hub dam round-the-clock, adding that more water would come in the Hub dam as catchment areas of the dam had been receiving rains for several days.

“The spillways of the dam would be opened if more water came into the dam,” a senior official of the irrigation department said.

Traffic was suspended at Loralai-Barkhan road after landslide at Fort Menro. Similar reports have been received from Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan Highway.

People have been asked to avoid unnecessary travel at highways linking the province with other areas of the country.

Meanwhile, reports of heavy rains were received from Sibi, Kalat, Lasbela, Awaran, Zhob, Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Barkhan, Loralai, Khuzdar, Noshki, Washuk, Turbat, Panjgur, Gwadar, Nasirabad, Usta Muham­mad, Jhal Magsi, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah and Pishin.