Schools closed in Balochistan as nine people died due to rains
The death and destruction in Baluchistan continued on Sunday, with nine others killed in rain-related accidents. The provincial government shut down all educational institutions following a new warning of showers and sudden flooding.
As the main roads connecting the province were still cut, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked the chief of the army Qamar Javed Bajwa to provide helicopters to reach the people who were stranded due to the washing away of roads and highways.
Quetta received heavy showers on Sunday, causing urban flooding at Pashtoonabad, Hazara Town, Qadirand, Aminabd, Nawan Killi, Killi Qambrani, and Sariab, where flood waters entered several homes. The Karkhasa Dam near Quetta was punctured at some point due to hill torrents, flooding several areas near Western Bypass.
Commissioner Quetta, Sohailur Rehman Baloch, said that the dam’s spillway was opened by the irrigation service after being filled to the limit.
However, it was expected that more areas would be submerged as NDMA issued a new warning of sudden flooding in eastern parts of Balochistan, according to APP.
In the opinion of NDMA, the Flood Forecasting Division has predicted moderate flash floods in the rivers and nullahs of eastern Balochistan during the next 24 hours and subsequent heavy flooding.
The Notice also provides for “medium to high flooding” in the Kabul River at Nowshera and in the Indus River till Monday (present).
NHA Advice for Travellers
As the major roads of Baluchistan were still flooded, the National Highway Authority (NHA) issued an advisory for people to avoid traveling on these roads. The advisory issued by the spokesperson of the NHA stated that the national highway Karachi-Quetta (N-25) was completely closed for traffic because the Linda bridge in Lasbela was washed away by the sudden floods.
As the major roads of Baluchistan were still flooded, the National Highway Authority (NHA) issued an advisory for people to avoid traveling on these roads. The advisory issued by the NHA spokesman said that the Karachi-Quetta national road (N-25) was completely closed to traffic because the Linda bridge in Lasbela was swept away by sudden floods.
Additionally, the Ratodero-Gwadar Motorway(M-8) has been closed at Wangu Hills, Khuzdar. Traffic was also suspended on Zhob-Dhanasar’s Dera Ismail Khan-Quetta National Highway (N-50), while Qilla Saifullah-Multan National Highway (N-70) was shut down in Fort Munro.
Meanwhile, Baluchistan’s rail link with other areas could not be restored, even one week after the main railway lines had been washed away.
A train that was supposed to leave Quetta for Karachi was cancelled because the track was not cleared by the authorities because of the flooding.