 Location of Balochistan | |
| Date | 28 February - 4 March |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern and Central Balochistan province |
| Deaths | At least 3 dead, 100 homeless |
The 2011 Balochistan floods started from the last week of February and continued until the first week of March. Balochistan province was already badly affected from last year's devastating floods as UNHCR claims that 166,000 flood victims are still homeless in the province with 240 people still living in camps. [1]
The Pakistan Meteorological Department issued a weather advisory in which it warned that a Western Disturbance over Iran was likely to enter in Balochistan that would cause widespread rains with isolated heavy rainfalls over Balochistan for four days. The system entered Balochistan on 28 February and caused widespread heavy rainfall in the province whereas moderate rainfall elsewhere in the country. The system moved and entered India on 5 March. [2] [3] [ failed verification ]
Hundred people were rendered homeless when a large number of houses were washed away by flash floods caused by torrential rain in Quetta and other areas in northern and central Balochistan. Traffic between Ziarat and Loralai via Sanjavi was suspended after heavy snowfall in the valley as four feet of snow fell in the hilly areas of Ziarat and about six inches in the town in 24 hours. At least 70 houses were washed away by hill torrents in Nushki and over a dozen houses collapsed in Huda and Khrotabad areas of Quetta. Floodwaters entered a large number of houses. Parts of Chagai district were also affected. The Bour Nullah entering Nushki from Afghanistan inundated thousands of acres of land in Dak area. At least 25 mud-houses were washed away in Chagai tehsil. A bridge on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway was washed away near Mastung. [4] [5]
On February 28 the provincial capital was lashed by strong hailstorms followed by heavy rainfall. [6] During the six-day wet spell the highest rainfall in 24 hours was 45 millimetres (1.8 in) that was recorded on March 1, 2011. [7] [8]
Heavy precipitation recorded during the six-day wet spell of February 28 to March 5, 2011 in the province based on data from the Pakistan Meteorological Department. [9]
| City | Rainfall (mm) | Rainfall (in) | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samungli | 93 | 4.0 | The highest rainfall during 24 hours was 47 millimetres (1.9 in). | [8] |
| Quetta | 92 | 3.7 | The highest rainfall during 24 hours was 45 millimetres (1.8 in). | [8] |
| Khuzdar | 86 | 3.3 | The highest rainfall during 24 hours was 33 millimetres (1.3 in). | [8] |
| Kalat | 74 | 3.0 | The highest rainfall during 24 hours was 32 millimetres (1.3 in). | [8] |
| Zhob | 32 | 1.2 | The highest rainfall during 24 hours was 19 millimetres (0.75 in). | [8] |
Minister for Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Babu Mohammad Rahim Mengal said a relief operation had been launched. The minister in charge of the PDMA visited the affected area in Nushki and said 200 blankets, 200 tents and food items had been sent to Nushki and Chagai districts. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani ordered the officials concerned to immediately send relief goods for the affected people. He said relief camps would be set up in government buildings for displaced people. [5]
Karachi has an arid climate, albeit a moderate version of this climate. It is located on the coast bordering the Arabian Sea, and as a result, has a relatively mild climate.
Ziarat is a city in the Ziarat District situated in the Balochistan. It is 130 kilometres (81 mi) from the capital city of Eastern Balochistan Quetta. It was established as a district on 1st July 1986, before then it was part of Sibi district. The Quaid-e-Azam Residency is in the valley, where Quaid-e-Azam spent a few of his most memorable days.
The 2004 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was the first in which tropical cyclones were officially named in the basin. Cyclone Onil, which struck India and Pakistan, was named in late September. The final storm, Cyclone Agni, was also named, and crossed into the southern hemisphere shortly before dissipation. This storm became notable during its origins and became one of the storms closest to the equator. The season was fairly active, with ten depressions forming from May to November. The India Meteorological Department designated four of these as cyclonic storms, which have maximum sustained winds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) averaged over three minutes. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center also issued warnings for five of the storms on an unofficial basis.
Pakistan's climate is a continental type of climate, characterized by extreme variations in temperature, both seasonally and daily, because it is located on a great landmass north of the Tropic of Cancer.
The 2008 Ziarat earthquakes hit the Pakistani province of Balochistan on October 29 with a moment magnitude of 6.4. The US Geological Survey reported that the first earthquake occurred 60 km (37 mi) north of Quetta and 185 km (115 mi) southeast of the Afghanistan city of Kandahar at 04:09 local time at a depth of 15 km (9.3 mi), at 30.653°N, 67.323°E. It was followed by another shallower magnitude 6.4 earthquake at a depth of 14 km (8.7 mi) approximately 12 hours after the initial shock, at 30.546°N, 67.447°E. 215 people were confirmed dead. More than 200 were injured, and 120,000 were homeless. Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, director general of Pakistan Meteorological Department, stated the quake epicenter was 70 miles (110 km) north of Quetta, and about 600 km (370 mi) southwest of Islamabad.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Phet was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall on Oman, Western India, and Pakistan. The third named cyclone of the 2010 cyclone season, Phet developed in the Arabian Sea on May 31 to the west of India. With conducive environmental conditions, the storm intensified to reach peak sustained winds of 155 km/h (95 mph) on June 2, based on analysis by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On the next day, Phet dropped heavy rainfall while moving across eastern Oman, with a peak of 603 mm (23.7 in) in Qurayyat. The rains flooded arid areas and collected into wadis – normally dry river beds. Thousands of homes were wrecked across Oman. There were 24 fatalities in the country, and damage was estimated at US$780 million.
Quetta, Pakistan features a continental semi-arid climate with a large variation between summer and winter temperatures. The highest temperature recorded in Quetta was 42 °C (108 °F) on 10 July 1998. The lowest temperature in Quetta is −18.3 °C (−0.9 °F) which was recorded on 8 January 1970.
Balochistan Levies is a paramilitary gendarmerie in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. It operates as one of two primary law enforcement agencies tasked with maintaining law and order in the province. The levies force has jurisdiction in most districts of Balochistan.
The 2012 Pakistan floods began in early September 2012, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Upper Sindh, Southern Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan.
Severe storm hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan on the night of April 26, 2015. It caused considerable damage in the cities of Peshawar, Nowshera, and Charsadda. The storm featured heavy rains accompanied by hail and high-speed winds of over 120 kilometers per hour. As a result of the storm's damaging effects, 45 people were killed and over 200 were wounded.
Rakhshan Division is an administrative division of Balochistan Province, Pakistan.
From February to April 2019, widespread flash flooding affected large parts of Pakistan, most severely in Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, and other provinces. Pakistan has been hit by three major waves of rain and flooding over the course of more than one month. The first wave of rain began on 20 February, leading to flooding in to Khyber and Balochistan, therefore many villages and several cities have been evacuated, and more than 1,500 families has been rescued alone in Balochistan and many in other states. The 20 February rain and thunderstorms caused flash floods in the Lasbela area. The main areas affected were Turbat, Tump, Nasirabad and Dasht where 300 people were displaced due to the flood. These people were then moved to camps established by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Casualties have came mostly due to roof collapsing amid heavy rains and flash flooding. Khyber Pakhtunwkha has witnessed the most deaths till now, 40, alongside Balochsitan has faced 26 casualties with more than 9 in Punjab and other places. Due to rain, flood and storm casualties are increasing.
The 1992 India–Pakistan floods was a deadly flood caused by a five days long heavy monsoon rains and severe weather that occurred on 7 September 1992 across the north-Pakistan of Azad Kashmir, North-West Frontier Province and Indian administered state of Jammu and Kashmir. Severe floods left at least 2,496 fatalities, including 2,000 deaths in Pakistan administered state, 296 in Punjab province, and 200 in northern India with several others missing. The floods swept away more than 12,672 villages and several people were buried alive due to landslides near mountains. Punjab, that shares its borders with Azad Kashmir, suffered a heavy agriculture loss in its economic history.
An earthquake struck Pakistan's province of Balochistan near the city of Harnai on 7 October 2021. The moment magnitude 5.9 Mww quake struck in the early morning at 03:01 local time, killing at least 27, injuring 300, and leaving 15 missing. The earthquake occurred just one day before the anniversary of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
In 2016 Pakistan experienced higher rainfall than normal (10-20%), especially in the pre-monsoon season. Heavy monsoon rains are common in the region. This led to multiple periods of flooding, landslides, and damage particularly in Northern Pakistan. The Swat River overflowed and multiple landslides occurred around Pakistan including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir.
Monsoon floods have affected South Asia from May to December 2019.