Double whammy as Balochistan floodwater enters rain-ravaged Sindh

After wreaking havoc in Balochistan, the floodwaters from the province are entering Sindh to pummel it once more as a fast-flowing torrent has reached Khairpur, Nathan Shah, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday. 

Reportedly, the last protective bund of Nathan Shah was broken and the floodwater entered the city. Thousands of citizens started leaving the area and they thronged Khuda Wah. Many were still stranded in the city. 

The entire city was without electricity as power was gone as soon as the flood hit the city. Mobile service was also suspended in several areas.

Dadu city and Meharr and Johi villages are totally submerged. 

The floodwaters also swept away an embankment in Qambar Shahdadkot inundating hundreds of villages over there. 

People have started evacuating the area along with their cattle head. 

Floodwater submerges Bhakkar areas along River Sindh 

The floodwaters have wreaked havoc in the settlements along the River Sindh in Bhakkar as the gushing waters have entered Basti Girmani Bhanday Wali Beet Dhawa decimating it. 

All the houses and agricultural land have been submerged destroying crops. 

People decried that neither the Punjab government nor the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started rescue operation. They demanded of the authorities to provide them tents and ration. 

Death toll reaches 1,162

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) report, the death toll has reached 1,162 since June with 36 more people died in the past 24 hours due to rains and floods across the country. 

As many as 72 districts across the country have been hit by rains and floods in which more than 3.3 million people were affected, the NDMA report said.

The crisis has forced the government to declare a state of emergency, mobilize the army for relief efforts and call for international assistance.

The total number of people who have been injured so far across the country has been recorded at 3,554.

During the last 24 hours, 19 people died in Punjab, 9 in KP while 5 people died in Balochistan.

The NDMA report further said that 405 deaths were recorded in Sindh, 249 deaths in Balochistan, 257 deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 187 people lost their lives in Punjab, 22 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 41 in Azad Kashmir.

As many as 506 men, 231 women and 384 children have lost their lives across the country so far. During the last 24 hours, 1,941 people were injured due to recent rains and floods.

Around 2,023 people were injured in Punjab, 1,074 in Sindh, 110 in Balochistan, 321 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 21 injured in Azad Kashmir due to rains.

Around 324,386 houses were destroyed in the continued spell of rains across the country, the report said.

About 243 bridges and 173 shops across the country have been damaged due to recent rains, report added. More than 730,000 cattle died across the country, the report said. A total of 5,063km of road across the country has been damaged due to recent rains.

In the Indus River, there is still a high level of flood at the point of Taunsa Guddu and there is a risk of extremely high flood level at Nowshera in Kabul River, the report said.

Weather report

According to Pakistan Metrological report today, mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most plain areas of the country. However, rain-thundershower is expected a few districts of Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and East Balochistan.

Reporter Fiaz Jafri