Balochistan Rains Claim 22 Lives

Heavy rains and hailstorm in Balochistan, Pakistan, killed 22 in the past 48 hours. The downpour caused flash floods, urban flooding, and damage to houses and infrastructure, including a tanker truck carrying LPG. Quetta, the provincial capital, experienced severe flooding, while the Met department forecasts more rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning.

The death toll due to heavy rains and hailstorm in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Sunday increased to 22, the provincial disaster management cell said on Sunday.

Heavy rains and thunderstorm caused flash floods and urban flooding in many districts of Balochistan, including its capital city, Quetta on Saturday.

“So far the number of people killed due to rain, thunderstorm and hailstorm has touched 22.These deaths were reported in the last 48 hours,” said the department in a statement.

The Meteorological Department said that the Quetta valley had received heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hailstones throughout on Saturday resulting in flooding of the main roads and streets.

“Many houses have also been washed away in the flash floods and there is massive traffic blockade in cities and towns and also on the main highways,” the official said.

The flooding also caused a big tanker that was carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from Iran to fall into a seasonal stream as floodwater submerged parts of the Quetta-Taftan highway in Noshki district. The met department said that overnight heavy rain had caused massive destruction not only in low-lying localities but also in main parts of Quetta.

The Met department has forecast more rains with thunderstorms and lightning in different areas of Balochistan, including Quetta.