Monsoon Havoc in Balochistan: Floods, Deaths, and Warnings

Heavy monsoon rains have caused fatalities and mass displacement in Balochistan, Pakistan. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of more rain and landslides. Cyclonic storm Asna has weakened, affecting northern districts. Flash floods have isolated regions and caused casualties, with further severe weather anticipated in various provinces.

Heavy monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in Balochistan, causing at least five deaths and displacing hundreds, according to Dawn. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued further warnings for rain and landslides in several regions.

Cyclonic storm Asna, which has weakened into a deep depression, continues to impact northern districts like Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Harnai, and Qila Saifullah. The storm is situated approximately 320 km northeast of Masirah Island in Oman.

Flash floods have destroyed homes, washed away link roads, and cut off access to Quetta. A senior official reported that all road connections with the provincial capital have been severed.

In a tragic incident on the Sibi-Harnai road, a couple was found dead after their car was swept away by flash floods. The bodies were identified by residents; the man as Muhammad Ibrahim Khajak, a livestock department employee.

In Zhob, a child drowned, and two more deaths have been reported in Harnai and Qila Saifullah over the past 24 hours. Rescue operations in Jhal Magsi are hindered by inaccessible roads as dozens of villages remain submerged.

A large breach in the Rabi canal in Nasirabad district has caused further flooding, inundating villages and destroying link roads.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Quetta has forecast rain and thundershowers across various districts, including Quetta, Zhob, Sibi, and Sherani, from Monday through Wednesday. Sea conditions will remain rough, with stormy winds until Sunday night, and fishermen are advised to avoid venturing into the open sea until Monday.

The PMD predicts rain and thundershowers in northern regions, including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Murree, Galyat, and Lahore, from Monday and Tuesday. Wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday and Tuesday, and in Sindh on Tuesday and Wednesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)