Quetta (LTN NEWS): Rains in the province have caused more than 120 deaths.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went to Balochistan on Saturday to check on the ongoing relief work there. Over 120 people have died in the province because of the heavy rains.
Heavy rains in Balochistan have caused a lot of damage and even killed people. Over 6,000 homes have been completely destroyed, and more than 10,000 have been damaged in some way.
After the rains caused damage, PM Shehbaz put together a group of federal ministers on Thursday. The committee was told to go to the areas that were flooded and to write a report within four days.
During the trip, PM Shehbaz talked to reporters about a relief package. He said that the families of people who died because of the flood would get Rs1 million each. He also said that people whose homes were destroyed would get Rs50,000 and that people whose homes were partially damaged would get Rs200,000.
The PM did not say when these funds would be given out, though.
“We have set up a committee to figure out how many animals died and how much damage was done to crops,” he said, adding that the committee would work with the provinces to do surveys and keep in touch with the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The premier also said that a meeting of the committee has been set up for August 3 in Islamabad. Shehbaz said that the rains had killed at least 124 people in Balochistan. However, Geo News said that at least 125 people had died.
The PM also said that more than 300 people have died because of the rain in different parts of the country.
During the visit, the prime minister flew over parts of Balochistan that had been flooded, and Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Aqaili told him about the damage caused by heavy rains and floods.
PM Shehbaz was also told what was going on in the affected areas to help people. Later, the prime minister also went to Jhal Magsi and met with people in Shambani who had been hurt by floods.
He made sure that medicines were sent and a relief camp was set up. He also sent a veterinary doctor to help treat cattle in the affected areas.
The prime minister also told officials to move quickly to help people in all areas and give them food rations.
Prime Minister tweeted that “About 300 including 124 people from Balochistan have lost lives in the floods. Although there is no compensation for human life, the federal govt is paying Rs. 10 lakh to every household of the deceased. I have also ordered an increase in financial assistance for damaged houses.”
Earlier, the prime minister had also been to Jacobabad, where he learned about what was being done to help flood victims.
The Pakistan Navy is helping people who are stuck in Urki, Uthal, Lakhra, and other small, isolated huts in Lasbela District because of flash floods. They are providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
In a statement, the navy said that Commander Coast Rear Admiral Javed Iqbal and officials from the district administration flew over flood-affected areas to check on how relief efforts were going.
Multiple trips were made from Uthal to the affected areas so that food could be dropped near people who were stuck in their homes.
“HELICOPTER-DELIVERED AIRDROPS OF AID HAVE PROVEN TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO HELP PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT BE REACHED BY ROAD BECAUSE OF FLOOD DAMAGE,” said the statement.
During the operation, Pakistan Navy helicopters saved a woman in critical condition and five other people who were caught in floods. They took them to Uthal for medical care.
Rescue and relief operations are also being done by the provincial government, district administration, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Army, and Frontier Corps.
Sindh and KP say they will help flood victims.
The day before, the Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, called Chief Minister of Balochistan, Abdul Qudus Bizenjo, and offered his full support during these hard times.
During the call, the CM of Sindh offered his counterpart all kinds of help to help the people who had been hurt by the rain get back on their feet.
“On Wednesday, we sent 500 tents to Lasbela, and on Friday, we sent another 100 tents to Uthal,” he said, adding that the Relief Department Sindh would work with the relevant divisional commissioners in Balochistan to send other aid.
Separately, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan announced Saturday a package of aid for people in Balochistan who have been affected by flooding. He also told the right people to make sure that the package gets to flood victims within the next 24 hours.
As a result of special orders from the chief minister, 32 trucks full of aid packages from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be sent to the people of Balochistan who have been affected by flooding.
The aid package has 1,000 tents, 1,000 mattresses, 1,000 hygiene kits, 1,000 blankets, 1,000 quilts, 1,000 tarpaulin sheets, 1,000 mosquito nets, and 20 dewatering pumps.
In the same way, the aid package also has 1,000 food packages and essential medicines.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) says that more rain is coming to the whole country, including Balochistan. This means that people will continue to suffer and rescue efforts will be harder to carry out.
In the next 24 hours, the weather service says it will rain more in Khuzdar, Zhob, Barkhan, Kohlu, Musa Khel, Sherani, Sibbi, and Bolan.
He tweeted by saying “I visited the flood-hit areas of Balochistan today to oversee the ongoing relief work & express solidarity with the affected people. The federal government is working with the provincial government to provide immediate relief to the people. The work will be further accelerated.”
