Syed Ali Shah:Â
QUETTA: Torrential rains and flash floods caused the blockade of two main highways linking Balochistan with Sindh and Punjab provinces. After passing of more than a year, the historic Pinjara bridge in the Bolan Mountains could not be reconstructed to make sure an interrupted flow of traffic between Balochistan and Sindh provinces.
Hundreds of long queues were witnessed on Thursday as the passengers were trying to cross the bridge. Levies sources said flash floods unleashed by torrential rains swept away the remaining portion of the bridge the other day. The bridge was swept away last year during heavy rainfall in the area.
Thousands waiting for the reopening of the highway
“We have been waiting for the last three days for the reopening of the road”, Muhammad Aslam, a truck driver said. Mr. Aslam said thousands of people were stranded on either side of the road because of the collapsed bridge.
The Balochistan government claimed to have reopened the traffic for small vehicles on Thursday. However, the passengers stranded in the area complain that the government was least bothered about the reopening of the highway.
Various parts of Balochistan received heavy rainfall
Quetta, Washuk, Pishin, Lasbella, Naseerabad, Kharan and other parts of Balochistan received heavy rainfall during the last two days. This has severely affected the routine life in these districts. “People here are yet to recover from the impacts of last year’s floods when the new wave struck”, Hyder Bakhsh Mastoi, a resident of the Dera Murad Jamali lamented. He said still thousands of people were in desperate need of support from the last year.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) claimed to have provided relief and support to the flood’s affectees. However, residents of the affected areas complain about the lack of relief.
The PDMA claimed to have declared an emergency in all affected areas and the Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Quddus Bizenjo also issued strict directives to the concerned quarters to step up relief activities in their areas.
Floods and torrential rains have so far claimed six human lives in Balochistan.
