Several villages have reportedly been flooded, thousands of people have been rendered homeless, and crops destroyed due to breakage in the Damani Dam caused by heavy rains here in Barkhan area of Balochistan Province.

120 acre of land in District Barkhan has submerged and due to flash floods many slum areas have been completely destroyed due to which 15 to 20,000 people have been badly affected. Cattle, animals and crops have also been swept away by the flash floods.

SDO Barkhan Jumma Khan told that repair work on the Dam was being carried out due to which it could not hold the stormy rain water and breached. He said in half and hour 88 millimeter rain was recorded which had played havoc.

The former provincial minister Balochistan Sardar Abdul Rehman Kethran said that the stormy downpours started early Wednesday and continued for several hours, causing breakage in Damani Dam and leaving many villages flooded. He also alleged that substandard material was used in the construction of dam due to which it breached. He said that areas of Dera Ghazi Khan are also under threat due to breakage of Dam

The affectees have started migration to seek refuge to safer places while many vulnerable houses have also been adversely affected due to unabated rain fall, he added.

No loss of life has been reported thus far, he concluded. On the other hand, Provincial Irrigation Minister Aslam Bizenjo told Private TV Channel 30 feet breach in the dam was caused by heavy rain and the nearby villages were affected by due to heavy rain instead of breach in dam.

He said the Government would help the affectees. He said that the dam was under construction and developed a big breach due to heavy rain.