Death toll from devastating rains in Balochistan rises to 39

QUETTA: The death toll from the devastating rains in Balochistan has risen to 39 including scores of persons missing in different parts of the province, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Balochistan ministers, Mir Zia Lango and Sardar Babar Khan Musakhel, conducted a press conference to elaborate on the disasters caused by the recent spell of heavy rainfall.

Sardar Babar Khan Musakhel said that he visited the office of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to inspect the emergency measures for protecting the lives and assets of the citizens.

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Mir Zia Lango said that a heavy downpour was predicted in different areas of Balochistan tomorrow. Following the recent spell of rains, large-scale losses of lives and assets were also caused in the provincial capital Quetta.

The minister vowed that the provincial government will not leave the citizens alone in the difficult time. Farmers have also suffered from massive losses in this monsoon season, he added.

He confirmed that 39 deaths have been reported across Balochistan so far. Scores of citizens were reported missing, including six in Quetta and four in Qilla Abdullah.

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Earlier in the day, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said that the current monsoon rains have claimed 77 lives as yet.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad today, she said this indeed is a national tragedy. She said the most number of 39 deaths have been reported in Balochistan.

The climate change minister said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has prepared a national monsoon contingency plan, Radio Pakistan reported. She said the provinces, districts and the people have to stay alert to reduce causalities as a result of monsoon rains.