In a devastating turn of events, one person lost their life and nine others sustained injuries as relentless heavy rains battered various districts of Balochistan. The havoc wreaked by the downpour led to the collapse of house roofs, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The affected regions, including Kohlu, Musa Khel, Zhob, Sherani, Mastung, and Nushki, bore the brunt of the unforgiving weather conditions. Adding to the chaos, areas such as Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Ziarat, Mastung, Muslim Bagh, Kan Mehtarzai, and Kalat witnessed hailstorms accompanied by fierce winds, exacerbating the damage by uprooting trees, ravaging gardens, and damaging solar panels.
The calamitous weather not only caused physical harm but also disrupted vital land connectivity, crippling the communication infrastructure in rural areas such as Sinjawi, Pishin, Toba Kakari, Shelabagh, Qila Abdullah, and Pishin, leaving residents grappling with severe challenges.
In Pasni’s ward no. 5, tragedy struck when the roof of a house collapsed amid the rain, injuring six individuals, including four children. Similarly, in Karkh, a 13-year-old girl tragically lost her life as she was buried under debris resulting from a roof collapse, while three others sustained injuries in the same incident.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued forecasts predicting further intermittent rains in Balochistan throughout the week. According to the PMD, westerly winds are expected to sweep into western Balochistan on the night of April 16, gradually extending to other regions by April 18. Areas such as Gwadar, Naseerabad, Sibi, Kohlu, Harnaya, Mastung, and Barkhan are likely to experience rainfall from April 16 to 19, with the potential for flooding in strong water drains on April 17 to 18 due to the anticipated precipitation.
In response to the crisis, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind provided an update on the situation, revealing that seven lives had been claimed by the inclement weather thus far. Rind announced the closure of schools for two days and the cancellation of holidays for all relevant officers and staff, emphasizing the government’s proactive stance in addressing citizen concerns. He further highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle encroachments on drainage systems.
Meanwhile, Member of the Balochistan Assembly, Wali Muhammad, assured that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) was actively engaged in responding to the crisis, with relief efforts underway in affected areas.
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