No end in sight to misery of Balochistan as rain kills another 10

• Rains batter Balochistan further, 10 more die in three days.
• Event related to Independence Day postponed due to extreme weather conditions.
• As many as 200 houses were damaged in Qila Abdullah due to flash floods.

The fresh spell of heavy rains has further aggravated the misery of people in Balochistan as 10 more citizens were killed during the last three days, while infrastructure, including houses, roads and bridges were wrecked.

The rain-hit infrastructure badly affected the traffic movements at the Kohlu-Quetta National Highway. Besides this, an event related to Independence Day was also postponed due to extreme weather conditions.

As many as 200 houses were damaged in Qila Abdullah due to flash floods, while most link roads and bridges were washed away.

In addition, two people drowned in flash floods in Toba Achakzai, while the lower areas were submerged in Barkhan, Rakhni, Dera Bugti, Sheerani, Koh-e-Sulieman, Ziarat and Qila Saifullah, The News reported.

Besides this, the areas of Maidani and Pachad are also at risk of submerging amid high flow in the riverbeds after heavy rains in Chaman and the mountain terrain of Koh-e-Sulieman.

The ongoing monsoon rains continued to wreak havoc in Balochistan, with flash-floods in Qila Abdullah and several other areas, devastating the homes of thousands of people and killing hundreds. Three dams have washed away and many link roads have been destroyed in Qila Abdullah.

Vigorous monsoon activity in coming days

The woes of Balochistan are far from ending as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more rains not only in the province, but also in Sindh and South Punjab.

The Met Office, in a statement, said that depression has developed in Arabian Sea which is likely to move towards the west along the Makran coast.

Due to this weather system, monsoon currents are continuously penetrating in southern parts of the country. Another low pressure (LPA) is likely to approach Sindh on 16th August.

Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rain-wind/thundershowers — with scattered heavy to very heavy falls — are expected in Sindh and Balochistan from August 16-18 with occasional gaps.

It warned that flash flooding is expected in Qilla Saifullah, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Mosa Khel, Sherani, Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Khuzdar, and Lasbella, Awaran, Turbat, Panjgur, Pasni, Jiwani, Ormara, Gwadar from August 14-18.

The Met asked fishermen to remain more cautious from August 16-18. It also asked travellers and tourists to remain more cautious during the forecast period.

"All concerned authorities are advised to remain alert and to take necessary precautionary measures during the forecast period," the meteorological department said.