In the first and then in the last week of June 2007, tropical cyclones -- Guno and 03B (Yemyin) in the Arabian Sea -- hit the coastal belt of Balochistan and caused torrential rains and heavy floods in rivers and low-lying areas of Kech, Gwadar, Jaffarabad, Awaran, Lasbela, Jhal Magsi, Sibi, Naseerabad, Bolan, Chagai and Kharan districts.
The coastal, RCD and Quetta-Sukkur highways were cut off and railway traffic suspended. The provincial and farm to market roads in majority of the districts were also washed away. Lives of citizens became paralyzed, and the only communication available was through satellite and cellular system. But due to quick and efficient response of the federal government, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), army, Frontier Corps and PDMA, human lives were rescued but infrastructure and property got damaged to a great extent.
The federal government’s immediate response and the day and night conferences held by Farooq Ahmed Khan, National Disaster Management Authority chairman, brought a sigh of relief.
As many as 50,000 people were rescued immediately by setting up five air bridges of C-130s and helli services, while food, non-food items and medicines were lifted from Jacobbabad, Sibi, Karachi, Gwadar and Kech. Even electric poles were transported through C-130s for restoration of electricity. As soon as the road and railway traffic was restored relief goods were rushed for the entire affected population; this efficient action bespeaks that no marooned person was struck by hunger, even in the most remote and cut-off areas like Aranji, Saroona and Moola tehsils of Khuzdar, Mashkhel sub-division of Washuk district and Sunni Shoran tehsil of Bolan district.
The army did a commendable job and was quick to react to the disaster. They conducted initial rescue and relief work in all the affected districts and provided shelter, food and medical care. Army aviation flew 522 sorties to transport 552 tons of essential relief items to far-flung areas. As a result of damages to coastal highways, Pak Navy supplemented by Marine Security Agency was tasked to provide relief items to the people of the cyclone-affected coastal belt. Goods were transported by sea despite bad weather to Ormara, Pasni and Gwadar. Navy also evacuated 100 fishermen to safety. Similarly Frontier Corps played a leading role in providing relief to most areas of Balochistan through their presence in the entire province.
The president, as a goodwill gesture and sympathy, announced Rs15,000 for each household whose house had totally collapsed. As many as 40,000 households in 21 districts benefited from the presidential grant of Rs600 million. The Balochistan government released compensation of Rs100,000 for the family of those who lost their loved ones.
The NDMA and PDMA provided 7,852 tons of food from open market and through Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan. About 46,036 tents were distributed for shelter purposes. Similarly national and international NGOs alongwith UN agencies, Unicef, UNHCR, UNRCO, WFP, WHO, FAO, Islamic Relief, Red Cresent and dozens of other organizations provided food and medical care to the affected people.
As many as 400,000 patients during the flood period were provided medical care by mobile teams, as a result of which there was no outbreak of epidemics or other floodwater-related diseases.
Construction of Mirani Dam was no less a blessing as it absorbed all floodwater coming from its catchment areas otherwise Dasht sub-division would have been submerged. This very dam will provide drinking and irrigation water to Kech and Gwadar as a future programme.
Wheat seed was distributed amongst landowners for sowing in the winter season. So far the Balochistan government has released Rs400 million for this purpose.
In order to mitigate or ebb the losses of natural and man-made calamity a comprehensive plan under the banner “Provincial and District Disaster Risk Management Plan” is under process throughout the country.
Keeping in view the far-off distance and rough communication sources, the provincial government, in order to facilitate PDMA, established five regional offices in Gwadar, Khuzdar, Sibi, Nuskhi and Lasbela that would monitor four to five clusters of districts.
The capacity of stakeholders will be enhanced and strengthened at district level. A rapid reaction force is being established to reactivate and involve volunteers, Boys Scout and common people to understand and react to any alarming situation. For this purpose a training calendar has been chalked out by the NDMA. Last but not the least the monsoon flood 2007 is not a forgotten disaster but the most heeded one in Balochistan.