Gwadar drowns, Balochistan govt finally notices

Author: APP

Balochistan government Thursday declared Gwadar a calamity-hit area after another spell of stormy rains hit the coastal district of Balochistan.

Life has been at a standstill due to hours-long stormy showers in the area for the past few days, people have been making a litany of complaints against the authorities over poor response.

Balochistan Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achackzai, in a statement, said that the Chief Minister has signed a summary declaring Gawadar a calamity hit area.

He said the situation was very concerning after the rains and the chief minister was monitoring the relief and rescue activities. Jan said that the district administration, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, PDMA, Levies Force, GDA and ND were providing timely relief and rescue activities to the people in the coastal areas.

He said that teams were working round the clock to identify drainage and other relief in Gwadar, Pasni, Urmara and other adjoining areas to ensure drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas. Jan said that water was being extracted from populated areas by utilizing all available resources and the rehabilitation and assistance of the victims was being ensured.

There was definitely a shortage of machinery in the district, but relief efforts were going on living in limited resources. Authorities concerned have been asked to provide modern machinery and suction pumps, he added.

Jan said that the NDMA has also provided drainage machinery to the Pakistan Army troops by taking immediate action.

They were busy delivering food, ration packets and medicine to the affected areas.

He said that teams of medical and engineering workers have been formed and were present simultaneously in the district, rescue operations were being carried out with an effective strategy while in touch with all the concerned agencies by which people were being fully supported. He said that due to such heavy and continuous rains, the basic infrastructure of the district has been severely damaged and the relief operation has been carried out diligently by the Pakistan Army and the district administration.