Heavy rain, strong winds and flash floods killed at least nine people and injured 28 others across Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) over the past 48 hours, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 confirmed on Thursday.
According to the PDMA (KP), seven people were killed and 19 injured after roofs and walls of houses collapsed during heavy rain, windstorms and flash floods over the past 48 hours,
“The dead included two men, four children and one woman, while the injured comprised seven men, one woman and 11 children,” it added.
The PDMA said 38 houses were damaged, including 36 that sustained partial damage and two that were destroyed, adding that the incidents were reported in the districts of Khyber, Lower Dir, Mardan, Shangla, Bajaur, Lower Chitral and Upper Dir.
The authority said it was coordinating with Rescue 1122, district administrations and other relevant departments, with relief operations continuing in the affected areas, directing district administrations to provide relief supplies to affected families, accelerate relief efforts and ensure immediate assistance for victims.
The director general of the PDMA urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from vulnerable tourist destinations and follow official alerts and advisories.
The authority said its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) remained fully operational and advised the public to report emergencies and obtain weather information through its toll-free helpline, 1700.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said that in Punjab, heavy rain and strong winds over the past 24 hours killed two people and injured nine others in separate weather-related incidents.
According to Ahmad said two people were killed and three others injured after a wall collapsed near Naya Pump in Attock during strong winds and rain, saying in another incident in Attock’s Para Shaheen Bagh area, three people were injured when a roof collapsed.
“One person was injured after being struck by lightning in Qaidabad, Khushab, while another was injured when a signboard fell during strong winds in Sargodha. In Sheikhupura, one person was injured after a wooden roof collapsed on Chak Rasala Road,” the spokesperson said.
Ahmad said all the injured received first aid at the scene before being transferred to nearby hospitals. The agency urged the public to immediately contact the Rescue 1122 helpline in the event of an emergency.
Heavy rains, flash floods and lightning strikes caused casualties and widespread damage in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with two children killed and more than 15 female students injured, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The PDMA said two children lost their lives and three others were injured after lightning struck in the Zakha Khel area of Bara in Khyber district. The injured were provided immediate medical treatment.
In a separate incident, lightning struck a women’s madrassa in Lower Dir, injuring more than 15 students. Around 250 students were present at the seminary at the time of the incident. The injured were shifted to Wari Hospital for treatment.
According to the PDMA, torrential rains and flash floods in Lower Chitral damaged 27 houses, two mosques, two shops and a bridge. Four vehicles and several motorcycles were also affected by flood waters.
In Upper Chitral, flooding damaged a house in the Yarkhun and Mastuj areas. The district administration and relief agencies have provided emergency assistance to the affected families.
The PDMA said relief and rehabilitation activities were continuing in the affected areas. Two major roads in Lower Chitral, which had been closed due to flooding, have been reopened for traffic, while authorities were closely monitoring the situation in other affected regions.
The authority advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather conditions and to follow safety instructions issued by the local administration to minimise the risk of further losses.