Balochistan death toll from monsoon rains, flooding reaches 136

Islamabad: The death toll from weeks of monsoon rains and flash flooding in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan has reached 136, authorities said on Monday.

Since mid-June, 434 people have lost their lives in rains across Pakistan as the downpour and floods damaged homes and washed away roads and bridges, according to a recent situation report by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Pakistan’s largest yet least developed province of Balochistan was the worst affected by heavy rains and subsequent flooding after neighbouring Sindh province. Heartbreaking videos from the worst-affected Lasbela district showed people trapped on trees and rooftops, requesting urgent assistance.

The floods this year have killed 136 people, injured 70 and destroyed more than 4,000 homes in Balochistan province alone, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said. At least seven dams have been damaged while others have been filled to their capacity while many regions have been inundated and communication cut off, local officials said. The Quetta-Karachi highway traffic was also suspended due to collapsing and the sweeping away of parts of the highway.

PM visits flood-hit regions

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed provincial authorities to immediately disburse financial assistance to those who lost their family members in the Balochistan rains and floods. During his visit to the flood-hit regions, he reviewed rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures and also met the flood victims in the Shambani village of Jhal Magsi. During a visit to a tent city set up for flood-affected citizens in Qila Saifullah district, the prime minister lamented that the flood victims were not getting food and water and warned that local officers including the deputy commissioner would be suspended if proper relief was not being provided at the camps. At least four relief camps have been set up in Qilla Saifullah, Quetta, Kech and Lasbela districts of Balochistan.

Compensation for flood victims

The prime minister said that the federal and provincial governments would work in collaboration to rehabilitate families and the infrastructure affected by the rains and floods. “The federal government has announced Rs1 million in compensation and the provincial government has already disbursed Rs1m,” he said. The federal government has increased the financial compensation for the injured from Rs50,000 to Rs200,000. The compensation for partially damaged houses have been increased from Rs25,000 to Rs250,000 and from Rs50,000 to Rs500,000 for fully damaged houses.

Chairman NDMA Lt. Gen. Akhtar Nawaz briefed the prime minister regarding the relief and rescue activities while onboard the flight to Quetta. The prime minister said that a survey would be jointly conducted by the provincial and national disaster management authorities and the provincial government to determine the extent of damage caused by rain-induced floods.

Rescue and relief efforts

Troops continue to assist the civil administration with relief efforts in the rain-hit regions. Pakistan’s Army, Navy and Air Force teams including helicopters have been mobilised to carry out flood relief operations across the country. Pakistan Navy provided assistance and disaster relief support to people stranded in Urki, Uthal, Lakhra and other small isolated areas of Lasbela district. “Army and Frontier Corps (FC) flood relief activities continue in flood-hit areas of the country. Troops are busy in rescue, relief efforts apart from providing medical care and opening up communication infrastructure” according to the official statement. PAF personnel and helicopter fleet are also actively engaged in providing humanitarian assistance, disaster relief support, evacuating families and distributing thousands of food packs to the people stranded in flash floods in Balochistan.

Balochistan rain-related facts

136 killed including 47 children, 33 women, 56 men

70 injured including 14 children

13,535 houses damaged

Six highways covering 640km were severely damaged

16 bridges damaged

23,013 cattle killed