In the midst of swamps of flood water, hundreds of people who fled one of the worst-hit districts of Pakistan pitched tents on the only high ground they could find – on the raised banks of the Saifullah Magsi canal.
They had left the Jaffarabad region of Pakistan’s impoverished Balochistan province as a monsoon deluge that authorities say has claimed more than 1,000 lives since June swept away their homes and livelihoods. The Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, visiting Jaffarabad on Sunday, was told that at least 75% of Balochistan, which covers half of Pakistan’s land area, was partially or completely affected by flooding.
He said he had never seen such a flood in his lifetime and called for help from the international community. “We are facing devastation,” he said.
One of those on the banks of the canal was Jamali, 32, a student from Islamabad who a few weeks ago had returned to his home town of Gandakha in Jaffarabad district as a volunteer to help flood victims, but on Saturday was forced to leave himself.
“We packed our bags and took valuable things and left on tractors when the water was just 4ft. Now the water level has risen to 8ft and people can’t take tractors.”
He said that initially roads were intact and linked the region with the rest of the province, but now roads and bridges were destroyed or inaccessible. Balochistan already had some of the worst infrastructure and communications in Pakistan, a fact that will make its recovery even longer and harder.
Jamali said the flood of 2022 was worse than that of 2010, the last major monsoon flood, due to the nonstop rains. He said local people had never seen so much water where they lived.
“People had built their houses after the flood of 2010. Now all have submerged in water, and mud houses have been destroyed,” he said. “We see dead animals and livestock floating in the water. People are getting sick and need clean drinking water and food. We are getting donations but that is not enough.”
According to local media on Sunday, more than 83,000 livestock had died in the previous 24 hours.
On the other side of the canal, over a bridge, is Sindh province, where further flooding is feared in coming days as waters of the swollen Indus River move south.
Nizamuddin, 65, a retired police officer who lost his mud house in the heavy downpour, was another who had taken refuge in the tents on the canal bank. He said 90% of the houses where he lived had been demolished and their livestock had died.
“We are in dire need of medicines, dry ration, tents and medical camps. We appeal to the government to help us,” he said.
A government official who requested anonymity said some parts of Balochistan province had become inaccessible due to heavy rain and were now facing food shortages.
“I have been told that two children had died due to hunger in Mach, a town near Quetta, which lost the road connections with other parts of the province,” he said.
