Four more killed, hundreds stranded due to flooding in Balochistan

QUETTA: The massive destruction caused by heavy rains and flash floods was continuing in various districts of Balochistan, while four more people’s deaths were reported in Lasbela district on Sunday and hundreds of people were stranded in Kohlu, Lehri, Barkhan and other areas as large numbers of villages come under floods water.

The road link between Balochistan and Sindh through Quetta-Karachi and Khuzdar-Rato-Dero could not be restored despite passage of 48 hours as fresh spell of rains and hill torrents washed away big portions of the both highways.

Four more bodies were recovered from Hub River which carried huge flood water coming from Hub dam which received more hill torrents as the hill catchment areas of the dam received more torrential rains, which were handed over to Edhi foundation. The death toll in Balochistan reached 194 after recovery of four more bodies.

Official sources said that Kohlu district received heavy rains which flooded a vast area of the district forcing the people to leave their homes as the huge flood water entered many villages and collapsed mud houses. The Seasonal Rivers in Kohlu district carried huge flood water and due to overflowing the connecting roads were washed away and dozens of villages in different areas were cut off with district headquarters.

“We have no access to reach up to the villages which submerged in fresh flood water as mountainous areas of Kohlu district has received heavy downpour entire night,” Deputy Commissioner Kohlu Qurban Magsi said adding that the local administration with the help of security forces making efforts to reach up to the flood affected areas for launching rescue and relief operation. The rivers were receiving more flood water as mounting areas received more heavy rains.

Hundreds of people including women and children were struck up in the affected areas and some families managed to reach safer places on self help bases with the local administration not only providing relief goods, including food, portable water, tents and blankets after shifting to safe places. “One can see massive destruction in the flood affected villages of Kohlu districts as the people have been deprived from households and other belongings in the flood water,” a senior levies official in Kohlu told this correspondent on telephone.