Islamabad: Floods have robbed Balochistan of digital connectivity after almost cutting it off from the rest of Pakistan physically.
Already battered by flash floods, the province lost communication with the rest of the country after overnight rains as the South Asian nation struggles to cope with the humanitarian disaster, The Express Tribune reported citing officials as saying.
The destruction of infrastructure and breakdown in communication links adds to the difficulties faced by the authorities in rescue and relief efforts in the region.
The air, road and rail networks in Balochistan are already suspended, cutting it off from the rest of the country.
“Due to torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan optical fiber cable, voice and data services have been impacted in Quetta and (the) rest of the main cities of the province,” the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) said on Twitter.
Efforts are being made to resolve this unprecedented situation, it added.
“Climate change disaster turned into a human disaster,” The Express Tribun quoted Abdul Qaiyum, a resident, as saying.
“In Balochistan, the communication system has been cut due to optical fiber cable cut at more than three places,” Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Syed Aminul Haq told The Express Tribune.
Instructions have been issued to PTCL officials to restore contact, Aminul Haq said.
Mobile and internet problems are also coming up in many areas of Sindh, said Aminul Haq.
Experts say that caused by climate change, heavy rains will keep wreaking havoc.
The government should take steps to avoid such incidents in future to ensure internet connectivity.
(IANS)
