Relief operations begin as rains affect 900,000

QUETTA: Military helicopters began rescuing people stranded in floods caused by heavy rains in coastal areas of Balochistan, as 34 people were reported killed in the province on Thursday. Some 32 deaths were also reported following heavy rain in Khyber Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Cyclone Yemyin, which made landfall over the coast of Balochistan on Tuesday, has affected some 900,000 people, but heavy rains and winds eased somewhat on Thursday, allowing military planes and helicopters to reach people without shelter, food and medicine.

However, many areas were still without relief, and the nazim of Turbat resigned in protest at the government’s “poor response” to the disaster, AP reported.

On Thursday, 20 people were reported to have drowned in flood waters in Jhal Magasi and six in Turbat. Three members of a family died following a roof collapse in Hernai tehsil, Sibi district. Two died in Nasirabad and one woman lost her life in Jhal Magasi in weather-related incidents.

Fifteen people were killed in Landi Kotal and 17 died in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency due to heavy rains, sources told Daily Times. The political administration confirmed 18 deaths. Torrential rains also destroyed four bridges at the Pak-Afghan highway and stranded thousands of vehicles and passengers.

Rising water levels inundated a fourth district - Sibi - on Thursday. Turbat, Bloan and Gwadar were severely flooded, Balochistan Relief Commissioner Khuda Bakhsh Baloch told Reuters. He said some 200,000 houses had been destroyed.

“Due to torrential rain a seasonal river has started overflowing and 20 to 25 villages have been inundated. According to our estimates about 15,000 people have been affected,” Baloch said. “In all, roughly, 900,000 people have been affected.”

ISPR said in a statement that the rain and wind had lifted slightly on Thursday, allowing seven helicopters to launch rescue operations in Balochistan. Troops had evacuated more than 600 families from Turbat and another 300 from nearby Bela, the statement said.

A navy helicopter rescued 40 people marooned on a rooftop near Turbat and two other choppers were evacuating car and bus passengers from the coastal highway, which was partly washed away by storm surges, the statement said.

Three army C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying relief goods landed at Turbat and a nearby town early Thursday, along with a navy plane with medicines and other emergency supplies.

But the military said the situation at Mirani dam near Turbat was still “critical” with water above the danger level, adding that a battalion of engineers was working to shore up the site. However, a WADPA spokesman said the water level in the dam had receded and it was safe.

The navy saved a Mexican and an Indian seaman who had been drifting at sea for three days. In a separate navy rescue operation, 35 Chinese workers at the seaport of Gwadar were ferried to higher ground. Navy warships and helicopters have rescued at least 125 crewmen from floundering craft, the navy and Maritime Security Agency said.

Minister for Communications Shamim Siddiqui was caught in heavy rain near Hangol while trying to reach the affected area in a helicopter and was forced back to Karachi, APP reported.

The Meteorological Department warned of a monsoon system developing in the Bay of Bengal that would bring heavy rain to Balochistan and Sindh in the next few days.

In New York, a spokeswoman said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was deeply concerned and reaffirmed the UN’s readiness “to support national and local efforts to provide emergency assistance to the survivors”.