• PMD sees no ‘direct threat’ to coastal areas; strong winds, downpour likely
• Floodwater hits bridges in KP, gas pipeline in Balochistan
• Villagers complain about absence of emergency response
KARACHI / PESHAWAR: Around two dozen people were killed on Friday as heavy monsoon rains caused widespread devastation across the country, with coastal areas bracing for the impact of a rare August cyclone.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), cyclone Asna posed no direct threat to coastal areas, though it’s likely to result in strong winds and moderate to heavy downpour in several cities of Sindh and Balochistan between Friday and Saturday.
In the north, 13 of a family died when the roof of their home collapsed due to a landslide induced by incessant rainfall in Upper Dir.
The victims were in their home in Ramyal village when it was hit by the landslide early on Friday, according to locals.
The victims were siblings and relatives as families of three brothers, including Naushad Khan, who owned the house, were living together.
Those killed included Mr Khan’s wife, two daughters and two sons; the wife of Khan Badshah, his daughter and two sons; and the wife of Wali Rahman, his daughter and a son.
In Sindh, at least nine people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Jamshoro, Dadu and Mirpurkhas districts.
More than 30 people were injured as the deluge ruptured sewers, breached dykes and swept away countless mud houses.
In a village of Toba Tek Singh, a man and his sister died, while three of a family were injured after being crushed under the roofs of their houses, which collapsed during torrential rain in the district.
In Balochistan, 13 people were swept away in flash floods in Loralai, Qila Saifullah, Duki, Harnai and Jhal Magsi areas.
According to officials, seven members of a family were swept away in Loralai, but they were rescued after five hours.
In the Alanbar area of Duki, five persons were swept away while crossing a seasonal stream. Four of them were rescued, while one is still missing. One person was also missing in Jhal Magsi after drowning in flood water.
‘Once in half a century’
According to a PMD advisory released at 10:30pm, the cyclone has moved westward during the last six hours and was about 120km south of Karachi, 180km southwest of Thatta, 250km southeast of Ormara and 440km east-southeast of Gwadar.
The system is likely to keep moving west-northwest and then west-southwest.
According to PMD Director General Mahr Sahibzad Khan, this was the first time in 60 years, since 1964, that such a cyclone had formed. Some reports also suggested that the last cyclone in the Arabian Sea during monsoon season was formed in August 1976.
He told a presser that cyclone would cause widespread rains and thunderstorms in Karachi, Tharparkar, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad districts on Saturday (today).
Similar weather conditions are likely to persist in Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech and Gwadar districts of Balochistan till Sept 1.
The sea conditions will remain rough to very rough with wind speed of up to 70km/hour. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till Sept 1.
However, Chief Meteorologist Dr Sardar Sarfaraz said the impact wouldn’t be as severe as expected earlier. “Saturday would be crucial to see its [cyclone’s] impact. It’s directed towards Oman, but we expect the cyclone to die out at sea,” he said, adding that coastal areas of Balochistan were likely to see heavier rains than Sindh.
Devastation all around
Residents of Sindh’s coastal villages told Dawn that the emergency response has been absent on the ground, and no relief measures have been taken by the government.
“Hundreds of coastal villages have been inundated and standing crops destroyed,” lamented Abdus Sattar, who lived in the Kabal Jokhio village of Sindh’s coastal district Badin.
“People were caught unawares as there was neither an official announcement nor arrangement on the ground about the impending disaster,” he said about his area, which has received heavy downpours over the past three to four days.
He said standing crops of rice, tomatoes and cotton have been destroyed.
According to the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority, a number of bridges have also been washed away by the deluge.
These included the Darwazo bridge at Thall, Hangu; and Parbaney bridge, Nangera bridge, Khadgul bridge and Jun kass bridge in Kalkot, Upper Dir.
In Punjab, intermittent rainfall continued on Friday in various districts and caused urban flooding.
Similar disruptions were also reported from Gilgit-Baltistan, where roads and electricity infrastructure have been damaged due to flooding and landslides.
Several passengers, including tourists, have been stranded as the Baltistan road was blocked at multiple locations in the Roundu valley of Skardu on Friday, according to Rescue 1122.
Road links to remote areas of Ghizer, Ghanche, Hunza, Nagar and Diamer also remained disconnected on Friday.
According to the GB Communication and Works Department, the Karakoram Highway, which was blocked at Chilas on Thursday, has been partially opened.
In Balochistan, flood water washed away roads and mud houses and inundated seasonal rivers and streams.
Gas supply to various areas of the province, including Quetta, Pishin, Ziarat, Kalat and Mastung, has been cut after a pipeline in the Bolan River was swept away by flood water in the Killi Satakzai area of Mach.
Aamir Yasin in Islamabad, Jamil Nagri in Gilgit and Saleem Shahid in Quetta also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024
