The provincial disaster management authority in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said on Monday it had dispatched emergency relief supplies to 27 districts ahead of the monsoon season, aiming to ensure a swift response to potential flash floods, landslides and other rain-related incidents.
Monsoon season begins in late June in Pakistan and typically lasts till early September. In 2022, catastrophic monsoon floods killed more than 1,700 people and affected over 33 million, while last year’s monsoon season triggered widespread flooding, killing at least 1,000 people.
The South Asian country has seen untimely heavy rains and storms in KP and Punjab provinces in recent weeks, which have killed more than 20 people, according to authorities. Another 80 people were killed in torrential rains in the country in late March and early April.
The PDMA said on Monday it had completed advance delivery of relief supplies to 27 districts of the province to deal with any possible emergency situation in a timely manner during the monsoon season.
“For this purpose, a total of 61 trucks delivered relief supplies to the concerned district administrations, so that immediate assistance can be provided to the affected people in case of flood, flash flood, landslide or other natural disasters,” the authority said.
“The relief supplies include 1,620 tents, 1,350 blankets, 1,020 plastic mats, 1,550 mattresses, 50 quilts, 550 sleeping bags, 800 hygiene kits, 1,110 kitchen sets, 840 gas cylinders, 375 tarpaulins, 1,330 mosquito nets, 145 searchlights, 13 D-watering pumps and 210 life jackets.”
The districts where the relief supplies were delivered included Abbottabad, Bannu, Battagram, Bajaur, Buner, Lower Chitral, Charsadda, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Haripur, Karak, Kohat, Upper Kohistan, Khyber, Mansehra, Malakand, Mohmand, Nowshera, Orakzai, Peshawar, Swat, Swabi, Shangla, South Waziristan, Tank and Torghar.
According to the PDMA, advance availability of relief supplies in sensitive districts is very important to ensure effective relief operations in any emergency situation during the monsoon.
“All district administrations have been directed to maintain full preparedness for the safety, availability and immediate distribution of relief supplies if required,” it said.
“The public has been appealed to take precautionary measures during the monsoon, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow the instructions of the PDMA and district administration in any emergency situation.”