QUETTA/RAJANPUR: Torrential rains and flash floods continued to wreak havoc in Balochistan, sweeping away a major gas pipeline in the province already cut off from the rest of the country through both roads and rail links.
According to details, flooding in Bolan River washed away a 24-inch-wide gas pipeline passing under the riverbed near Bibi Nani area, suspending gas supply to Quetta, Pishin, Mastung, Kalat, Pishin, Ziarat and other towns.
Meanwhile, officials of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) confirmed the incident and said that efforts were being made to link the pipeline to a narrower 12-inch pipeline to restore gas supply.
The SSGC officials, however, said replacing the damaged pipeline might take at least three to four days once floodwater recedes.
It is to be noted that three major highways — Quetta-Karachi, Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan and Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan — linking Balochistan with Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were still blocked due to heavy landslides and floods.
Heavy boulders that fell on Fort Munro-Dera Ghazi Khan and Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan highways after the landslides could not be removed, leaving hundreds of people stranded.
INITIAL REPORT ON DESTRUCTION IN SOUTH PUNJAB
The DG Khan district administration issued initial report on the destruction and damages caused by rains and hill torrents during the period from July 25 to August 20.
According to the report, 342 mouzas and villages and communities, 80 union councils were affected by floodwater, nearly 0.7 million people were affected by the hill-torrent water.
Likewise, over 1.4 million acres of land was also affected, 58,593 houses were destroyed by floodwater while 242 mouzas and villages came under water in Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, Kot Chutta and Koh-e-Suleman.
53 Union Councils while 1,48,906 people were affected, over three lac acres land flooded and 13320 houses were destroyed during July 25 to 13 August.
Similarly, seven villages of tehsil DG Khan, 51 of Taunsa, nine of Kot Chutta, 33 of Koh-e-Suleman and twenty seven Union Councils were directly affected by which an area of over 1.1 million acres and 45,273 houses were damaged during 14 to Aug 20.
ANOTHER MONSOON SYSTEM TO ENTER SINDH
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned the Sindh administration, already dealing with the impact of 24-hour long record-shattering rainfall, to brace for another monsoon system entering the province on August 23.
The PMD predicted heavy rainfall in Sindh and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Sukkur, Dadu, Larkana, Jacobabad, Malakand, Buner, Mardan, Charsadda, Mohmand, Karam, and Khyber.
The rains might also generate urban flooding although the weather phenomenon is likely to weaken over the next 12 hours.
The department also advised travelers and tourists to remain cautious as flooding in Indus and its tributaries may occur during the forecast period.
Late Friday, Federal Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman revealed that the province broke its 2011 rainfall record.
She said that Sindh experienced 355mm of rainfall on August 19, shattering the 238mm rainfall record of August 31, 2011.
She shared a video depicting a cloudburst over Jamshoro.
