PESHAWAR/LAHORE: At least 28 persons were killed and more than 60 injured in various windstorm, hailing and torrential rain related incidents in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on Saturday, confirmed Rescue 1122.
Spokesperson for Bannu Rescue 1122, Abrar Tariq told the BBC that 23 people have died so far in Bannu alone. According to the statement released by Rescue 1122, three people have died in Lakki Marwat and two in Kirk. The highest death toll has so far been reported in Bannu and according to Rescue 1122, the number is expected to rise.
According to rescue officials, most of the deaths have been caused by the collapse of walls and roofs during in the windstorm followed by hailing and torrential rain. According to the administration, relief activities have been launched in several areas and medical assistance is being provided to the injured.
All stations of Rescue 1122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are on alert to deal with any untoward incident, said an official of the emergency service.
He said relief activities continued as due to heavy rain, roof collapses occurred at many places in Lakki Marwat, Bannu and other parts of the province.
He disclosed that Rescue 1122’s search and rescue operations are ongoing as all the injured are being shifted to the hospital after providing medical aid on the spot.
In a statement, KP Caretaker Information Minister Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah said that a high alert had been issued in the hospitals of the affected districts. He said the interim government was in contact with the authorities in the affected areas.
Five killed in Khushab, Gujranwala
Similarly, heavy rains along with strong winds battered several parts of Punjab including Sargodha, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Lahore and other districts.
In Chan village of Khushab district of the province, three girls died after a wall of their house collapsed due to torrential rains.
Two more people were reportedly killed and more than a dozen others injured in rain-related incidents in Gujranwala district and other districts.
Heavy rains and strong winds also disrupted electricity supply in many areas.
Heavy rain with thunderstorm was also reported from different areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK).
PM grieved over loss of lives in KPK rains
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday here expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in rains in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PM sympathised and condoled with the bereaved families, said PM’s media wing.
He directed National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ensure steps for relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas.
He also ordered for coordination with the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He asked NDMA to work together with Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Rescue 1122 to ensure complete assistance to the public in affected areas.
Weather forecast
According to a Met Office forecast shared by the PDMA on Saturday evening, “very hot and dry weather” is expected in most districts of KP over the next 24 hours.
But there were chances of wind/dust storms and isolated rain-thunderstorm in most plain areas of the province in the evening and at night, the statement said.
It added that isolated spells of rain and wind/thunderstorms were expected in Chitral, Lower and Upper Dir, Buner, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram and Waziristan districts in the evening and at night.
Wind/dust storms may cause damage to loose infrastructure in Kurram, Hangu, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan, Tank, Kohat, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Charsadda, Peshawar, Khyber and Nowshera districts, the statement said.
“All concerned authorities are advised to remain alert during the forecast period,” it said.
