- NDMA says latest spell damages 786 homes with over 200 completely destroyed
- Balochistan declares 10 districts calamity hit and death toll reaches 29
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: The recent heavy monsoon rains have caused huge losses and claimed 68 lives in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The province has experienced heavy rainfall over the past four days, with thunderstorms predicted for most of the plains and upper districts, including Peshawar.
The continuous rain over the last two days in Peshawar and the surrounding areas has brought a noticeable change in the weather, with cloudy skies and cooler temperatures.
Bannu witnessed heavy rainfall yesterday, and the past three days have seen significant rain in Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, and parts of the Malakand Division, the NDMA reported.
The NDMA’s report on the impact of the rains indicates that since the beginning of the monsoon season, 68 people have lost their lives in various incidents, including wall and roof collapses.
Additionally, 786 homes have been damaged, with over 200 completely destroyed and the remainder partially affected.
The majority of the fatalities are children, with 32 recorded deaths, while the rest include women and men. The report also states that 117 people have been injured as a result of the ongoing heavy rains.
Meanwhile, flash floods in the tourist region of Kumrat have caused extensive damage, destroying hotels, restaurants, local homes, and crops.
The main road leading to Kumrat was washed away at the Brekot point, cutting off access to the area.
Additionally, the connecting bridges at Makrala and Thal were also swept away by the floods.
According to Tehsil Nazim Kalkot, Zia-ur-Rehman, hundreds of tourists and vehicles are stranded in Kumrat. He has appealed to the provincial government for assistance in rescue and recovery efforts.
Earlier today, a landslide triggered by continuous heavy rains in Upper Dir situated in Kumrat Valley claimed the lives of all 12 members of a single family.
The incident occurred when the landslide struck a house in the Patarak area of Upper Dir district, located in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province.
According to the police, the deceased includes nine children, two women, and one man.
The ongoing rain and darkness severely hampered the rescue operations.
Local residents, along with personnel from Rescue 1122 Upper Dir, police, Dir Levies, and Civil Defence, participated in the rescue efforts.
Despite the challenging conditions, all the bodies were eventually recovered from the rubble.
The police confirmed that after significant difficulties, the rescue teams were able to retrieve the bodies of those who had been trapped and killed in the landslide.
The Karakoram Highway was blocked after a landslide at Diamer. However, it was reopened for traffic on Friday.
Pakistan experiences its monsoon season from July to August, typically receiving around 255mm of rain each month.
In 2022, the monsoon rains caused extensive damage throughout the country, with over 75,000 homes destroyed and 130,000 partially damaged in KP alone, according to figures from the government and international aid agencies.
A Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) report issued on August 28 showed that 74 people have been killed and 128 injured from July to August 28 due to the current monsoon spell in KP.
The report also said that 906 houses were damaged due to rain-related incidents in the last two months.
From July 29 to August 1, 24 people were killed and 17 injured as heavy rains lashed the province, according to the KP PDMA.
On August 17, a local government representative was swept away by strong currents in a Swabi nullah, and a minor boy was killed in a Bannu wall collapse incident as heavy rains triggered flash floods in several districts of KP.
10 Balochistan districts declared calamity hit
Ten districts of Balochistan have been declared disaster hit after devastating rains across the province on Friday.
The calamity-struck districts were Ziarat, Kalat, Sahabpur, Lasbela, Awaran, Jafarabad, Kachhi, Austa Muhammad, Loralai and Chaghi.
Rains claim 29 lives
As torrential rains wreaked havoc across the country, at least 29 people lost their lives and 15 injured in Balochistan. According to PDMA report, the rains, which started since July 1, have caused widespread damage to infrastructure and crops.
The rain has caused damage to several houses, with 858 completely destroyed and 13,896 partially damaged. In addition to the loss of lives and property, the rains have also caused significant damage to crops, with 58,799 acres of crops and 41 kilometres of roads affected.
The PDMA report also stated that seven bridges have been damaged, while 373 animals have died due to the heavy rains.
On the other hand, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a warning of more rains in the coastal regions of Sindh over the next 24 hours.
