Daily Times

Eleven members of a family, including women and children, drowned in Kohat after torrential rains flooded their basement.

The incident occurred in the Old Bazid Khel area of Dara Adam Khel, as heavy rainfall continued across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Rescue 1122 officials reported that the family was trapped in the basement of Amjad’s house when rainwater inundated the area. Emergency teams responded swiftly, recovering 11 bodies and initially searching for a missing girl, who was later found.

Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives.

Continuous heavy rains in Peshawar, Swabi, and surrounding areas have caused severe flooding, with roads and low-lying areas submerged.

In Swabi, torrential rain damaged crops, including tobacco and maize, and disrupted electricity supply as numerous feeders tripped.

Separately, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the upper parts of Pakistan, washing away the Mahandri Bridge and leaving many tourists stranded in Kaghan Valley.

The heavy rains have battered several districts in K-P and Gilgit-Baltistan, impacting infrastructure and isolating local communities.

In Kaghan Valley, the destruction of the Mahandri Bridge has severed a crucial transportation link, effectively cutting off access to Naran and other parts of the valley. This has stranded approximately 10,000 to 15,000 tourists and disrupted the daily lives of local residents. The Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) announced that no charges will be taken from tourists for lodging and food.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday telephoned Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. General Inam Haider Malik and directed to take all necessary relief measures as heavy rains lashed across the country.

The prime minister asked the Authority to assess the damages to life and properties caused by the rains and improve coordination with provincial disaster management departments, and the disaster management authorities of AJK and Gilgit Baltistan, according to a PM House press release.

He instructed the NDMA to ensure swift restoration of the highways and roads damaged by the rains or landslides.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also called for providing all possible healthcare facilities in the rain-affected areas, besides ensuring the supply of relief items including medicines and other commodities.

He expressed deep grief over the deaths caused by heavy monsoon rains and consequent floods. He prayed to Allah Almighty for peace for the departed souls and sympathised with the bereaved families.

The prime minister also instructed to extend all possible medical treatment to those injured in the rain-related incidents.