Monsoon rains across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have claimed the lives of five people — four of them children — and injured another five over the last 24 hours, according to a KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s report.
Heavy rains continue to lash parts of KP as it reels from catastrophic floods[1] that ravaged the province earlier this month, leaving 406 dead[2] in its wake.
On August 30, the provincial capital Peshawar received 41 millimetres of rain, whereas heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in Khyber district also swelled the Budni and other nullahs, submerging low-lying areas along Warsak Road, Safia Town, Regi Model Town and Nasir Bagh, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
As per the KP PDMA report, as a result of the rain, “two were reported dead in Peshawar — both children — including a child who was swept away by a flash flood and another three-month-old infant who died as a result of a roof collapse incident.”
Five people sustained injuries in separate infrastructure collapse incidents.
Meanwhile, heavy rain in upper South Waziristan claimed the lives of three people from the same family after the roof of their house collapsed. The dead include two children and a woman.
According to the PDMA report, a total of six houses have been damaged due to rain and urban flooding, including three that were destroyed completely.
In a statement, the PDMA spokesperson said, “PDMA has directed respective district administrations to intensify relief efforts and ensure timely assistance to victims.”
“PDMA’s Emergency Operation Centre is fully functional,” the spokesperson added, urging people to contact PDMA’s helpline at 1700 in case of emergency or weather updates.
According to the PMD, Cherat received 165mm of rain over the past 24 hours, while Kakul received 54mm, Peshawar 41mm, Balakot 14mm, Malam Jabba 10mm, Bannu 5mm, and Dera Ismail Khan 4mm.
The latest data from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) showed that at least 853 people have died and over 1,000 have been injured in rain-related incidents and flash flooding since the start of the Monsoon season on June 25.
Monsoon rains, which fall across the region from June to September every year, continue to lash many parts of the country. Starting in late June[3], Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc across the country in the past month by triggering deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.