Balochistan: Heavy rains batter Pakistan’s coastal city of Gwadar, paralyse life

Heavy rains have wreaked havoc on the coastal town of Gwadar in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The downpour, lasting over 15 hours, submerged entire neighbourhoods, leaving roads, streets, and houses inundated with water.

The power transmission system faltered under the onslaught, bringing life to a standstill.

The rain, stemming from a weather system that entered Balochistan on February 25, battered the region with relentless force. It has caused widespread flooding and chaos.

Videos circulating online depict scenes of the coastal town transformed into a watery expanse, with vehicles navigating through knee-deep floods.

Amidst the turmoil, Senator Kohda Babar expressed the dire situation faced by locals, highlighting the inundation of the old town under several feet of water.

"The water has entered the houses and people don’t even have a place to sleep," he lamented, emphasising the lack of governmental follow-up in such crises.

As the waters surged, reports emerged of house collapses and significant damage to properties. Thousands of fishermen found their homes and boats lost to the floods, compounding the misery of the affected populace.

While efforts from local authorities and relief teams were underway, the scale of the disaster overwhelmed available resources.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) were called upon to intervene urgently, with demands for immediate assistance and compensation for losses. However, the absence of governmentresponse exacerbated the plight of the affected residents.

With more adverse weather predicted in the coming days, including thunderstorms and snowfall in hilly regions, the specter of further calamity looms large over Gwadar and its residents.

(With inputs from agencies)