* Kohlu, Barkhan, Sibi severely affected by torrential rains
* Over 80,000 people affected by rains

By Mohammad Zafar

Occupied Balochistan: Death toll in flood-related incidents in Balochistan rose to 53 on Friday, as 13 more bodies were recovered.

Relief efforts could not be started in most flood-affected areas of the province, where — according to estimates — more than 80,000 people have been seriously affected. The train services between Quetta and Jacobabad have also been suspended after a section of the rail track was washed away by flash floods. Hassan Baloch, Balochistan Disaster Management director general, said that 13 bodies had been recovered from Barkhan and three from Wazir Machi village of Lehri Tehsil during the past two days.

He said that two helicopters reached the affected areas on Friday in order to rescue the stranded people, while 14 trucks carrying relief goods had also reached Kohlu, Barkhan and Sibi.

On the other hand, flood-affected people in Bakhtiarabad staged a protest on the national highway, disrupting the flow of traffic for several hours.

Local tribal elder, Sardar Sarfraz Khan Domki, said that flash floods had completely destroyed a village, which was home to 4,000 people.

“The villagers are homeless and have nothing left. However, so far no relief goods have been provided to them,” he said. The protesters burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the administration.

Sibi Division Commissioner Qamar Masood said that Sibi and Lehri had been severely affected by the flash floods, where at least 10,000 people were in need of government help. However, the local people claimed that over 80,000 people had been affected by the floods. Masood claimed relief work had started in the area. “We have a single helicopter and are providing relief goods to the people,” he said, adding that they had provided tents to the affected people, as most of them had refused to move to relief camps set up by the government. Referring to the protest, he said that the administration had held talks with the protesting people of Baktiarabad and started relief work in the area.

A five-kilometre long section of railway track was washed away by floods in Baktiarabad village, which has disrupted rail traffic linking Quetta with the rest of the country. According to railway officials, the sections of the track had been damaged in Baktiarabad and Damboli areas. Efforts to repair the track are underway and railway officials say the service would be restored within two days. All Quetta-bound trains have been stopped in Rhori and Jacobabad stations.

According to Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO), around 13 power pylons had been washed away or completely damaged in Kohlu and Barkhan, plunging the areas into complete darkness. The situation is similar in Kohlu tehsil, where 30 villages have been affected by flash floods and over 20,000 people have been rendered homeless.

Zhob Division Commissioner Mir Ikhtiar Bangulzai said 25 to 30 villages have been damaged and around 20,000 people have been affected by the flash floods. Relief camps, flood control centers had been established in the area, where people are getting goods, tents, blankets and drinking water, he said. However, he said helicopters carrying relief goods could not take off from Quetta due to bad weather. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt General (r) Nadeem Ahmed is due to visit Quetta today (Saturday) to oversee the relief efforts.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default. ... 724story_24-7-2010_pg7_19

Thousands rendered homeless by flood in Balochistan

By Saleem Shahid
Saturday, 24 Jul, 2010

QUETTA: The death toll in flash floods unleashed by torrential rains in Barkhan area of Balochistan rose to 50 on Friday.

Thousands of people were rendered homeless in Barkhan, Kohlu and Sibi and aid and rescue work was affected because of long distances and damaged roads. “About 50 people have died in two days in flood and rain-related incidents in Barkhan,” Hassan Baloch, director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, told Dawn.

He said that a joint operation by the army, Frontier Corps and the provincial government was under way to shift the affected people to safe areas.

Train services from Balochistan to other parts of the country remained suspended for a second straight day as the flood damaged railway track on five points in Bakhtiarabad area of Sibi district.

“We have decided to suspend the service for two more days,” a railway official told Dawn. “The service will resume after repairs of the railway track in Sibi.”

The army sent four helicopters with foodstuffs, drinking water and medicines from Quetta to the affected areas after the improvement of weather. The PDMA dispatched 13 trucks of relief goods for the affected people.

Over five dozen villages were submerged in Nasirabad district and Bakhtiarabad area of Lehri tehsil.

A large number of people were rendered homeless after their homes were washed away by the torrential rains which hit most parts of Balochistan, including Sibi, Dera Bugti, Kohlu and Barkhan.

“Flood and rains marooned about 28,000 people in Sibi and 50 in Theher area of Lehri”, Sibi Deputy Commissioner Shahid Saleem told Dawn. He said the administration had provided food to 50 affected people.

Officials said that flood water had entered houses, forcing people to take refuge at high places. Rabi canal, near Dera Murad Jamali, has been breached at some places,” Deputy Commissioner Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali said. Although no loss of life was reported, flood water coming from Lehri river played havoc in the area. “Flood water is now moving to Pat feeder canal and would breach the main canal if immediate measures are not taken,” an official said, adding that the water coming from hilly areas of Dera Bugti destroyed 50 villages in Lehri and 12 in Nasirabad.

“Hundreds of houses were washed away in Bakhtiarabad and Lehri,” Manthar Mangi, an eyewitness who visited the two areas, told Dawn.

The officials said the flood had devastated Qoba Sher Khan area, where people have lost their valuables, ration and livestock.

Sources said that thousands of people were living in the open, especially on the bank of Rabi canal. They said that the Uchh power plant could also comer under flood water if Rabi canal developed a breach.

Irrigation department officials said that heavy machinery had been brought to the affected area to meet any situation. “We are ready to meet any situation,” Hazrat Ali Kakar, Nasirabad Deputy Commissioner, said.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/d ... -flooding-40-killed-qs-03

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