By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA: Torrential rains coupled with gusty winds paralysed coastal districts of Gwadar and Lasbela, disrupted power supply and brought down a large number of houses.Towns along the Makran coast were cut off from other parts of the country with roads inundated by flood water.
Power supply had not been restored in the affected areas of Gwadar district till Sunday night.
Cyclone Phet also brought heavy rainfall to Hub, Gadani, Sonmiani, Uthal, Bela and Duriji areas of Lasbela district.
Official sources said reports of houses collapsing because of heavy rain were received from localities along the Lasbela coast.
"Many areas are under water," an official of the Hub administration told Dawn.
He said that residents had already been shifted to relief camps set up by the government.
No casualty was reported from the Lasbela district till Sunday evening.
The RCD highway linking Quetta with Karachi was damaged at various places, disrupting traffic.
The sources said that four to five metres high waves hit the coast near Gadani, Dam and Sonmiani.
About 18 fishermen on four boats who were trapped in the sea near Dam area were rescued by Navy personnel. In Gwadar, 372mm rain was recorded."Gwadar and other costal towns of the district faced massive destruction because of heavy rain and cyclonic winds of 110 to 120 km per hour," Gwadar DC Pasand Khan Buledi said.
The affected areas are still under three to four feet of water. The administration has started draining out rainwater from Mullah Band and other areas.
Mr Buledi said he was not in a position to quantify the losses caused by rains.
Although fishing boats and vessels had returned from the sea, dozens of boats and launches anchored at the Gwadar Fish Harbour were damaged.
"We are providing relief to the people in relief camps," the Gwadar DC said.
He said that a ship of Pakistan Navy had brought relief goods to Gwadar on Sunday.
A C-130 was also scheduled to reach on Sunday but could not come because of bad weather. Helicopters were also taking part in relief operation.
PIA cancelled its fights to Gwadar where the runway was under water.
The sources said the main dams in the district, including Akra-kur dam and Belar dam were safe.
The situation in Pasni town remained unchanged where rainwater has submerged various areas.
"We are trying to restore normal life in the town," Pasni Assistant Commissioner Masood Rind said.