Rain, snow kill three more in K-P

At least three more houses suffer damage

PESHAWAR: At least three more people have been killed and as many injured in rain and snow-related incidents in the province on Thursday.

A report by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Thursday said that during the past five days, as many as 18 houses have been completely destroyed while 15 others have been partially damaged.

The PDMA further said that roads in Chitral, North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Hazara division remain clogged by snow and landslides. However, efforts are underway to clear them.

Moreover, the authority said that it has distributed various life-saving items amongst people stranded in the worst-hit areas of the province. Kolai-Palas was identified as the worst affected district of the province where 14 houses have caved in after they were struck by avalanches. Similarly, nine houses caved in the Shangla district, three each in North Waziristan and Upper Dir over the past two days. A further two houses collapsed in Hangu due to heavy rains, the report said. Moreover, Rescue 1122 officials in Mardan said that a man had sustained critical injuries after the roof of his mud house caved in after a heavy downpour on Thursday.  Officials said that the injured man was identified as Gul Zamanin of Abdul Rehman village in the Takht-e-Bahi tehsil was sitting along the boundary wall of his house when the wall suddenly caved in.

Death toll rises to 104 as heavy rains, snow continue to lash Pakistan

The PDMA report said that two people were killed in Kohistan. Another three were pronounced dead on arrival when they were brought to the district headquarters hospitals (DHQs) in Nowshera, Mardan and Khyber.

Lowari approach road cleared

The Chitral district administration, with assistance from other relevant departments, cleared on Thursday the Lowari approach road for traffic.

The Relief and Settlement Department in a statement on Thursday said that the approach road for the Lowari Tunnel — the main transportation route which connects Lower Chitral with Upper Dir —has been cleared for all kinds of traffic.

Camp Sites

Keeping in view the prevailing weather pattern, the provincial disaster management authority has identified camp sites for people in distress in various parts of the province, where they will be provided with food, shelter, medical facilities and essential items.

The report showed that some 178 camps sites have been identified in 19 districts of the province where approximately 2.4 million people could be accommodated. 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2020.