Pakistan: Death toll due to rainfall in Balochistan rises to six, 25 injured

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 30 (ANI): The death toll in Balochistan due to incessant rains has risen to six, leaving 25 others injured in several incidents across the province, Geo News reported on Sunday.

The N-70 highway which connects the province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is closed for traffic, an official from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.

The PDMA said that several vehicles are stranded at Dhana Sar due to landslides caused by heavy rains in eastern Balochistan’s Koh-e-Suleman mountain range.

Traffic from Peshawar, Swat, Islamabad and Pindi have been instructed to stop at Dera Ismail Khan the PMD said, adding that the Zhob-DI Khan Road has been blocked at Dhana Sar due to rains in Zhob and Sherani.

Zhob and Qilla Saifullah administrations have been directed to stop the flow of traffic, Geo News reported.

PMDA added that teams have been dispatched for rescue and relief operations regarding the stranded travellers, Geo News reported.

Several areas like Islamabad, Murree, Guliat, Gujranwala, Narowal, Sialkot, Balakot, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Swat are likely to witness rains today, as per the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

Several areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, KP along with Balochistan’s Khuzdar, Awaran and Lasbela are likely to witness downpours as well, PMD said.

Earlier this week, the Met Office had said that moist currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are entering southern and eastern parts of the country with thundershowers, while gusty winds are making their way in parts of Sindh and other provinces.

This is not the first time that Balochistan has reported heavy rains resulting in loss of life and landsliding. In April earlier this year, rain and flood emergency was declared by the provincial government due to continuous heavy rains that battered different districts of Balochistan, killing and injuring several people.