PESHAWAR/CHITRAL: At least 24 persons were killed and 17 other suffered injuries as monsoon rains battered various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from July 29 through Thursday, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said.
According to a report issued by the KP PDMA on Thursday, excessive rainfall led to flood-like situation overflowing of rivers and natural drainage systems, causing widespread devastation.
As a result, 24 people lost their lives across the province during the past three days due to roof collapses and other rain-related incidents. The most casualties were reported in Kohat, where 10 people were killed, including six children, the report said.
“The district administration along with Rescue 1122 and local volunteers recovered the dead bodies,” the report said, adding that non-food items (NFIs) were distributed to the affected families, including tents, mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits.
On the other hand, the most damage to infrastructure was observed in Upper Chitral, where 107 houses were either fully or partially destroyed by flash floods caused by heavy rain.
A total of 150 houses were damaged during the three days in KP, while 77 houses were partially damaged and 73 houses were destroyed, the report added.
Flash floods and house collapses were also reported in Hangu, Haripur, Mansehra, Lower Dir, Charsadda, Mohmand, Bajaur, and Abbottabad. The report added that landslides were also reported in Abbottabad.
Local residents in Mansehra examine a destroyed house following flash flooding on August 1. — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PDMA
According to a PDMA weather warning, a new series of monsoon showers is due to start in the province and continue intermittently until August 6.
It said that “scattered heavy with isolated very heavy falls are expected in Dir (Upper & Lower), Bajaur, Chitral (Upper & Lower), Swat, Buner, Malakand, Shangla, Kohistan (lower & upper), Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mohmand, Peshawar, Khyber, Kohat Hangu, Kurram, Orakzai, Karak, Lakki Marwat, South & North Waziristan, Bannu, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan districts”, with “occasional gaps” in between.
The alert also warned that the torrential rain may cause “urban flooding in the low-lying areas of the province” and flash flooding in local streams in Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Chitral, Malakand, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Bannu, Kurram, North and South Waziristan, Orakzai, Khyber, Mohmand, Nowshera, Swabi and DI Khan.
Due to the rain, landslides have also been predicted in the upper districts of the province.
The PDMA, district administration, and relief teams are currently engaged in relief activities, while tourists have been advised against travelling to the area.
KP PA Deputy Speaker visits flood-affected areas in Chitral
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Suraya Bibi Thursday made an emergency visit to the flood-affected area of Upper Chitral district, where the flood has wiped out houses, crops, gardens and roads.
Before the visit, the Deputy Speaker met with the officials of the district administration, rescue and security agencies and issued instructions to take concrete steps to deal with the current situation and provide immediate relief to the people.
She personally supervised the departure of machinery and medical teams towards the flood-affected areas. She was told that the roads have been restored up to Breep, while work is going on to restore Yarkhun Road, which will be opened by Friday.
