Daily Times

At least nine people were killed in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to heavy rainfall while an emergency was declared in the province’s Lower and Upper Chitral districts till August 15. Heavy rain with strong winds and thunderstorms lashed parts of the province on Saturday, triggering landslides and destroying infrastructure. The rain continued intermittently through the day, resulting in a “large-scale devastation” in the district. The deluge also triggered flash floods in Chitral, which washed away bridges, roads, and livestock. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, several areas of the country are likely to continue to receive rain until July 26.

The latest report issued by KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said nine people had died over the last 24 hours, including two in Swat, two in Battagram, four in Mansehra and one in Buner. The report further said that seven people had been injured, including three in Swat, three in Battagram and one in Mansehra. The PDMA said nine houses had been fully damaged while 67 were partially damaged.

Separately, a notification issued by the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department said that the deputy commissioners of both districts had requested for an “emergency” to be declared in order to enable them to “launch immediate rescue and relief activities”.

Therefore, the provincial government declared a rain emergency in the two districts with immediate effect, adding that it would remain in place till August 15 “for provision of relief [and] restoration of damaged communication network and water supply”. Meanwhile, KP Interim Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan directed the relief department and the district administration to remain on “high alert”. He directed authorities to immediately launch relief and rescue activities and to ensure that aid was provided to the affectees.

The chief minister also ordered for the affected people to be moved to safer locations and asserted that the provincial government would help them “in every possible way”.

Separately, four people of the same family lost their lives while one was injured in a landslide in Gilgit Baltistan’s Skardu district, police said. Skardu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raja Mirza Hasan said a family hailing from the Astore district was heading to Gilgit from Skardu when the landslide occurred. He added that as the family fled their car for safety, they got caught in another landslide, which killed three women and a child. SSP Hasan further said that officials could not reach the affected family immediately as the highway was blocked at four points due to landslides triggered by rainfall. Separately, rainfall in Balochistan’s Kacchi district had also led to “very high” flood waters on the Pinjira Causeway, suspending traffic in both directions, National Highway Authority (NHA) General Manager Agha Inayat said.