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Sunday, December 22, 2024  
19 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1446  

Devastating flooding hits Sindh, Punjab amidst torrential rains

PPP chief Bilawal seeks report from Sindh CM about damages due to rains
Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP
Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP
A view of Chiniot’s Committee Chowk Jhang Road blocked due to heavy downpour on August 17, 2024. APP
A view of Chiniot’s Committee Chowk Jhang Road blocked due to heavy downpour on August 17, 2024. APP

Heavy rains wreaked havoc in many parts of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as at least 28 people were killed in rain-related incidents over the last two days.

The National Disaster Management Authority’s National Emergencies Operation Center anticipated more monsoon rains from Sunday evening to Monday with occasional gaps.

It has warned that torrential rains during the forecast period might lead to heavy downpours causing urban flooding in all major cities and urban centres across the country.

At least 189 people – out of which 68 were in Punjab – have been killed in rain-related incidents since July 1, according to the NDMA data. Around 645 houses were completely damaged in rains and floods.

 Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP
Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP

Sindh

Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani updated Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah about the mobilisation of local authorities across the province on Sunday following significant rainfall.

Widespread heavy rains on Friday night and Saturday severely impacted the electricity network and drainage systems, leading to substantial flooding in both urban and rural regions of interior Sindh.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a forecast predicting more heavy rain and thunderstorms across the province through tomorrow (Monday).

According to the PMD’s Flood Forecasting Division, Khairpur recorded the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours at 169 millimetres, followed by Larkana at 123mm. Rohri and Mohenjo Daro both received 119mm, while Sukkur reported 100mm and Jacobabad 99mm. Other areas affected included Dadu (75mm), Mirpurkhas (35mm), Padidan (31mm), and Chhor (24mm).

Cities such as Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, and Jacobabad have experienced heavy flooding, creating urban flooding situations where streets have turned into pools of water.

Near Garhi Kheiro in Jacobabad, a 70-foot-wide breach has occurred in a canal, submerging rice crops. Torrential rains have also been reported in Khairpur, Sukkur, and surrounding areas.

“I want to see the entire government machinery — including district administration [and] local bodies, particularly in the rain-affected areas — working on the roads, helping people, and the irrigation department patrolling on the embankments of the canals and distributaries to avoid breaches,” CM Murad said while presiding over a high-level rain emergency meeting at CM House on Sunday.

He called for “effective measures” to protect the life and property of the people.

Larkana has been inundated with rainwater, receiving 123 millimetres of rainfall. Tragically, one person died and two others were injured when a barn roof collapsed due to the heavy rainfall.

In Dadu, excessive rainfall caused flooding in various waterways, including the Gaj Nadi and Nai Nali, severing connections to over 50 villages in the Johi tehsil.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has sought a detailed report from the Sindh CM regarding the damage caused by the ongoing rains across the province and the measures taken by the provincial government to assist the affected people.

Bilawal expressed his deep concern over the damage caused by the heavy rains in various parts of Sindh.

 Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP
Commuters drive through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Larkana in Sindh province on August 18, 2024. AFP

He instructed the chief minister to provide a comprehensive report on the damages and relief efforts in Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, and other areas across the province.

He directed the mayors of Sukkur and Larkana to ensure the swift drainage of rainwater from the low-lying areas of these cities.

Bilawal instructed that an immediate investigation be conducted into the breach in the dam in Khairpur district, emphasising the need to minimise the damage and provide prompt assistance to the affected people.

Punjab

In Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Hyderabad, and Larkana, the rain has caused widespread flooding, while landslides have blocked roads.

In the mountainous areas of Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, the heavy rains have caused rivers and streams to overflow.

Rajanpur’s Suleiman mountain range experienced intermittent heavy and light rainfall throughout the night, leading to rising floodwaters in nearby streams.

The rainfall has significantly increased water levels in the rivers flowing from the mountains. The flow at Kala Baga Khosra exceeded its capacity by 2,000 cubic meters per second, while other streams, such as the Kah Sultan and Chhachhar, also saw rising flood levels.

According to the Flood Division of the Irrigation Department, the floodwater level in the Kah Sultan stream rose to 46,756 cubic metres per second. Meanwhile, the Kala Baga Khosra recorded 20,935 cubic meters per second, Chhachhar reached 23,546 cubic metres per second, and the water level in the northern and southern Suri areas increased to 4,150 and 4,670 cubic meters per second, respectively.

Additionally, the Patochk stream reported a floodwater level of 6,370 cubic meters per second, while the Zangi stream reached 6,642 cubic meters per second, and the Khambhi stream recorded a level of 3,520 cubic meters per second.

Balochistan

In Balochistan, the areas of Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakri, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, and Ziarat have been affected by flash floods, damaging crops and injuring 10 people when walls and solar panels collapsed.

The railway track in Chaman has been washed away by floodwaters, while a gap has appeared in the railway track in Noshki, disrupting rail links between Pakistan and Iran.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In South Waziristan, flash floods have caused widespread destruction after heavy rains. The floodwaters have entered the Jandola Bazaar, causing damage to agricultural land.

The Wana Gomul Zam Road has been blocked at several points due to landslides caused by the heavy rains, disrupting traffic flow.

In Khyber, flash floods have occurred in seasonal streams following the rains. People in affected areas are working to protect themselves.

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