Daily Times

Heavy rains lashed flood-ravaged Gwadar and other parts of Balochistan on Sunday, suspending normal life and traffic. The showers left main roads and streets flooded with knee-high water and submerged low-lying areas in Gwadar and adjoining districts.

In Kech, heavy rains suspended traffic and blocked connecting roads. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, 21 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in Gwadar over the last 24 hours, 10mm in Turbat and 2mm in Ormara, Turbat and Jiwani.

The Met Office said rain and thunderstorms with isolated showers were forecast in Turbat, Kech, Gwadar, Jiwani, Pasni, Ormara, Panjgur, Kharan, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, and Awaran districts today. It also warned of flash flooding in the local nullahs of Gwadar, Kech, Turbat and Panjgur, adding that snowfall may disrupt traffic in northern Balochistan till March 13.

The Met department further stated that Chagai, Noshki, Washuk, Mastung, Sibbi, Nasirabad, Zhob, Sherani, Barkhan, Musakhel, Kohlu, Jhal Magsi, Loralai, Ziarat, Quetta, Chaman, Pishin, Kila Abdullah and Kila Saifullah were likely to witness a similar weather, with snowfall on hills, till March 13.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an alert in Balochistan. Separately, Saudi Arabia has announced relief measures for calamity-hit Gwadar as hundreds of houses were damaged due to torrential rains in the port city. The ambassador of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al Maliky visited Balochistan and announced relief measures for the people of Gwadar. “We’ll help our Pakistani brothers in this difficult time,” the ambassador said, after meeting the Balochistan chief minister Sarfraz Bugti. The ambassador announced 9,000 shelter camps and 9,000 ration bags for the calamity-hit people of Gwadar. He also spoke Urdu and chanted the slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ while announcing relief items for Balochistan.