Rains wreak havoc, kill 23 in KP, Balochistan, Punjab

F.P. Report

QUETTA : Rains have wreaked havoc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir as they claimed at least 23 lives and wounded several others, it emerged on Thursday.

In KP’s Bajaur, roof of a house caved in and killed three people including a five-year-old. 

In a similar incident in Punjab’s Rajanpur area, roof of a house in Rojhan collapsed, killing husband and wife. Two people were wounded in the incident.

The Balochistan government has issued an emergency alert in the district of Lasbela after flash flooding caused by torrential rains in the area killed at least four people.

The government of Balochistan has sought help from the Pakistan Army due to the worsening situation in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner of Lasbela said rescue operation to evacuate some 200 families trapped in a village in the district is under way. “The torrential rains and flash flooding have caused damaged in the area,” he said. 

He added that four helicopters of the Pakistan Army will take part in the rescue and relief activities today.

A spokesperson of the provincial government confirmed that an emergency has been declared in Lasbela.

The spokesperson added the concerned departments and the district administration of Lasbela are taking part in the rehabilitation process.

Meanwhile, Provincial Home Minister of Balochistan Ziaullah Longove visited the flood-hit areas of the province and said relief goods have been dispatched to the affected areas.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall which may trigger landslides in the province.

In the last 24 hours, 45 millimetres (mm) of rain in Khuzdar, 39mm Lasbella, 28mm in Pasni, 24mm in Turbat, 21mm in Sibbi, 19mm in Kalat, 16mm in Gawadar, 15mm Jiwani, 13mm in Ormara, Barkhan, 12mm in Zhob, 11mm in Quetta, 10mm in Dalbandin, 6mm in Panjgur and 2mm in Nokkundi have been recorded.