Daily Times

The ongoing rains and floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have claimed the lives of at least 88 people from July 1 till date, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Saturday.

According to the authority, the persistent monsoon season has so far claimed the lives of at least 43 children, 26 men and 19 women.

On the other hand, at least 129 people have been injured owing to the devastations in the wake of the torrential rains since last month. Those injured include 61 children, 39 men and 29 women, said PDMA.

“A total of 958 houses were damaged by rains,” added the authority.

The destruction, triggered by the rain, has completely destroyed 260 houses and partially damaged 698. The numbers have been estimated a day after at least 12 members of the same family, including nine children, were killed when a massive landslide hit a house in the Upper Dir district. According to the police, the tragic incident took place in the Maidan area of Upper Dir in the wee hours of Friday. Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority has confirmed the successful rescue of 200 tourists stranded in Kumrat Valley, located in the Upper Dir district. The tourists were found in various locations including Dojangla, Kala Chesma, and Abshar, and have since been transported to the Grand Palace Hotel. From there, arrangements are being made to move them to Kalam.

The authority’s spokesperson assured that all necessary provisions, including food and essential services, are available to the rescued individuals. The operation has been supported actively by the local police and district administration.

This successful rescue operation follows a tragic incident where 13 family members lost their lives when their roof collapsed under the weight of heavy rains in Maidan tehsil, Upper Dir.