Floods in AJK, Punjab and Balochistan

LAHORE: Torrential rains continue to wreak havoc as numerous reports of severe damage are coming in from across the country.

Seven people died and as many went missing in land sliding and other rain-related incidents.

People living around the River Jehlum are being shifted to temporary camps while the water level in the river is feared to cross the level 2,000 cusecs in the next few hours. At least ten villages near the River Jehlum have been evacuated.

In a separate incident, a man was killed and seven others are missing when a Rawalpindi-bound passenger van fell into a stream due to slippery road conditions. The van was coming from Muzaffarabad.

In Patika and Jehlum, four people drowned in the river, while two people were also reported to have drowned in Pindi Ghaib.

Floods in Punjab

A new wave of flood turned the situation worse in Rajanpur when 90,000 cusecs of water entered the district last night.

Evacuation has been ordered in the most affected areas of the district as more floods are feared. Standing crops spreading over thousands of acres have also been destroyed.

People are waiting for government support as rescue efforts have yet to start in the area.

Floods in Balochistan

Nine villages and many fish farms were taken over by gushing water, as a dam split open in Jafferabad. Fifty other houses collapsed in the Loralai and Zob areas of Balochistan.

Some of the flood hit areas have no means of communication with the rest of the country. The Jalal Khan Dam burst in the Kachi area submerging Shukarabad, Payar Khan Gola, Mehboobabad, Abdur Rehman Arain and Ghaus Pur.

Meanwhile, in the Mehupur area of Jafferabad, a breach in the Shahi Canal left four villages and many fish farms inundated.

Local Meteorological office has forecast widespread rain in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeast parts of Balochistan, Sindh and Kashmir.

According to Met office report on Thursday, strong monsoon  current from Arabian Sea is penetrating into sub-mountain areas  of Punjab and Kashmir.

Widespread thundershowers are expected in north parts of the  country therefore.

During last 24 hours the rain recorded in different parts of the country is as follows: Risalpur 280 mm, Cherat 257, Kohat 233 mm, Mianwali 190, Saidu Sharif 187, Besham 172, Dadu 117, Pattan 97, Kalam 84, Zhob 73, Kamra 68, T T Singh 42, Chitral 41, Murree 40, Kakul 35, Tarbela 29, Rahim Yar Khan and Lasbela 23 and Nowshera 20mm.

According to ISPR, in view of country wide torrential rains causing unprecedented and outrageous floods, loss of lives, property, livestock and damaged to communication infrastructure all available troops of Army in respective areas have been fully mobilised since yesterday to carry out rescue and relief activities in concert with civil administration.

Army Troops busy in relief operations are equipped with life jackets, motorboats, heavy rafts to shift families, luggage, cattle and other belongings.

Army boats are being used to rescue the stranded people to safer places. Army engineers are busy in opening the roads and making the diversions to facilitate the flow of the traffic at flood inundated roads round the clock.

Army teams are working at Charsada, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mansehra, Swat, Tank, Marwat districts and Khyber Agency of FATA.

Through hectic efforts, the army has been able to rescue more than 1500 people at Munda Gucha area of Manshera, Tank Tedi Bazar, Shangi, Kota Khusta, Khyber Agency, Ningolia, Charbagh, Nall Daroshkela, Koray, Dad Pand area of Swat. Corps Commander Lieutenant General Asif Yasin Malik visited various parts of flood affected areas of districts Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera and witnessed ongoing rescue and relief operation.

In the wake of worsening flood situation more troops have been put on high alert and were directed to pre position themselves to tackle any untoward situation. Situation at Tanda Dam is being closely monitored.

Pakistan Army has set up flood monitoring cell in Corps Headquarters where latest flood situation is monitored and coordination is made with civil administration.

The emergency numbers of Army Flood Information centre are 091-2012364 and 091-2014719.