In a bid to help the victims of the devastating floods across the province, the provincial cabinet of Balochistan announced donating their one-month salary for flood relief programs.
According to the details, Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo chaired a meeting of the provincial cabinet where Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili briefed the cabinet members about the human losses and financial damages caused by heavy rainfall and floods across the province. Rs15 billion is required for the recovery of the damages and another Rs20 billion for the rehabilitation phase in Balochistan.
Read more: Recent floods in Balochistan and its implications
All cabinet members announced to pay one month’s salary in the Balochistan flood fund. Furthermore, the cabinet also decided to pay government employees one day’s salary in the relief fund.
“The federal government should support the Balochistan government for the rehabilitation of the flood affectees,” Bizenjo also told the cabinet meeting.
#BalochistanCabinet announces one month’s salary for flood affected people… One day salary of Govt employees would also be deposited in #FloodsFund pic.twitter.com/w1jZ5O3a6Y
— Quetta Voice (@VoiceQuetta) August 16, 2022
Disaster in Balochistan
The situation in Balochistan has turned alarming as the heavy rains and floods continue to wreak havoc. The death toll from back-to-back rain spells in Balochistan has risen to 196 while many areas of the province are reeling from flash flooding.
Torrential rains triggered flash flooding in the province that destroyed 690 kilometers of the road network, 18 bridges, and 19,760 homes. In addition, over 107,000 livestock animals lost their lives. The floods also destroyed crops on over 500,000 acres of land in all the 26 worst-affected districts of Balochistan.
The death toll has also crossed 200. The dead include women and children. As per the data shared by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 56 children are among the dead.
Read more: Pakistan army’s contribution in Balochistan
As a result, government authorities, Pak Army, Frontier Corps, and civil administration are going all out to provide rescue and relief measures to the victims.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the provision of Rs50,000 cash relief to flood-affected people through a transparent process.