Life returns to Quetta’s Hanna Lake with recent spell of rain

QUETTA: The recent spell of rain across Balochistan has returned life to the dry Hanna Lake, with water filling the parched patch creating a habitat for fish that had died due to drought and birds which had flown away.

Since the lake is situated at a distance of only 18 kilometres from the main Quetta city, filling up of the lake has come as a delight for locals who would plan picnics by Hannah Lake and also engage in water sports until it had dried up.

Locals said tourism would be revived in the area now that the lake has been restored.

While talking to Geo News, the head of Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy said they had stopped organising events ever since the lake had dried, but the restoration came as a promising news to them.

Water sports in Hanna Lake would be held every year in March-April till October-November, until winter starts. Since water started evaporating from the lake last year, the annual competition of rowing and canoeing could not be organised there.

According to the sports academy website, water sports started in Balochistan for the first time in 1989 with rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and boating at Hanna Lake.

The sports academy, which is situated near the lake, is open to anybody interested in water sports for a minimal fee.

The filling of lake would not only revive the academy but also the restaurants, albeit few, located nearby.

Hanna Lake started drying up last year as it rained less than usual. As a result, many fish had died, while birds flying from Siberia had also flown away.