Storms loom large after rain devastation

With large parts of the country still counting the cost of recent deadly rains, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday warned of another widespread spell of rain, windstorms and thunderstorms expected to hit northeast Balochistan, lower Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and south Punjab on April 6 (today), raising fears of fresh disruption and damage. The warning comes as Balochistan, still struggling to recover from the devastation of recent downpours that claimed 12 lives, including eight children, braces for another intense weather system already entering the province since the evening of April 5 and likely to persist until April 7. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the earlier spell left 15 people injured, among them 10 children, four women and one man, while floodwaters damaged 160 houses - 33 completely destroyed and 127 partially affected - across districts including Kech, Harnai, Kohlu, Loralai, Jaffarabad, Kachhi, Musakhel, Duki and Zhob. Financial losses were also reported from Naseerabad, Chaman, Quetta, Hub, Awaran, Lasbela and Pishin. According to officials, rescue teams, district administrations and Frontier Corps personnel remain engaged in relief operations, even as authorities shift into high alert mode for the incoming spell. The PMD and PDMA have warned that the new system, driven by strong western winds, is likely to affect almost all major districts of Balochistan, bringing thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy rain and hailstorms. Northern and central districts, including Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Noshki, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Mastung, Sibi and Kohlu, are expected to bear the brunt, while southern and coastal areas such as Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara, Turbat, Panjgur and Lasbela may also see significant rainfall. Authorities have warned of flash floods in local streams, urban flooding and landslides in mountainous terrain, posing serious risks to settlements near waterways and those travelling through hilly routes. Residents have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in vulnerable areas, keep children indoors during storms, and stay away from exposed electric infrastructure and weak structures. Emergency services, ambulances and relief supplies have been placed on standby, with citizens advised to contact rescue services in case of emergencies. In Quetta, dark clouds blanketed the city as rain began, triggering power outages in several areas, while gas supply disruptions, particularly nightly load-shedding, have compounded public hardship, prompting calls for relief during the ongoing weather spell. Meanwhile, the situation in the K-P remains equally grim as the provincial disaster management authority reporting 50 deaths, including 26 children, and 111 injuries in rain-related incidents since March 25.