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Published 16 Aug, 2022 11:57pm

Five die as vehicle swept away in flash flood near Quetta

Five people, including three women and two children, died when flash flood triggered by the heavy rains in Quetta district of Balochistan swept away a car on Tuesday night, rising the death toll in the province to 201.

Sixteen people, including children and women, who were travelling to attend a wedding ceremony got trapped in a flash flood in a stream in Ajram Sigi Saranan area and were swept away while crossing the stream, rescue officials told Aaj News, adding that the locals have rescued eleven people including women and children.

The officials said that bodies of all the five people who died have been recovered and shifted to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan in its report said that 201 people have died due to rains and flash floods in the province since June, including 96 men, 48 women and 57 children.

It said that the deaths occurred in Bolan, Quetta, Zhob including Diki, Khuzdar Kohlu, Kech, Mastung, Harnai, Qila Saifullah Musa Khel and Sibi districts of the province.

According to the PDMA report, 81 people, including 49 men, 12 women and 20 children, were injured in accidents during the rains.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted further rainfall during the next two days.

Death toll accross Pakistan

Meanwhile, Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains killed 635 people and injured 1016 across the country since June, the National Disaster Management Authority said in a report issued on Tuesday.

It said that since June 14, 196 people have died in Balochistan, 137 in Sindh and 122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while 14 deaths were recorded in Punjab.

Its latest report said that 266 men, 136 women and 233 children have lost their lives across the country.

The agency said the rains and flooding had damaged 54,327 houses and destroyed 18,281 houses leaving thousands homeless and stranded in remote villages. 103 districts have been affected by recent rains, it added.

The Balochistan and Sindh provinces were hardest hit by the flooding after the heaviest rains on record lashed the provinces amid heightened concerns about climate change.

Millions of people, including children, are at risk of waterborne diseases in the flood-hit regions, where the military and rescue agencies were trying to reach and evacuate those stranded.

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