K-P declares extreme weather emergency amid torrential rains, snowfall

K-P govt directs deputy commissioners to reopen Panagah, provide citizens food


​ Our Correspondent March 08, 2020
A representational image of rain. PHOTO: AFP

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday declared week-ling Extreme Weather Emergency as torrential rains wreak havoc across the province.

At least 17 people have been killed and 38 injured in rain-related incidents across K-P. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in its report issued on Saturday said at least 57 houses have been caved and majority of deaths have been caused due to house-collapse incidents.

In order to provide shelter and food to the citizens during the cold wave, expected to continue for the next seven days, the provincial government invoked power under Section 16(A)(i) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Act 2010 to declare weather emergency from March 7 to 14.

During the emergency, the deputy commissioners have been instructed to reactivate temporary Panagah i.e. shelter homes in areas hit by torrential rains, heavy snow and a drop in temperature.

Those at the shelter homes will be provided breakfast and dinner, while those who lost their houses will be given cooked food three times a day. The government has authorised “Rs100 for each breakfast and Rs200 for dinner” as fit charge of the “Relief Account with the deputy commissioners”.

Weather forecast

The Met Office said on Saturday that widespread rain-wind and thunderstorm (with a few hailstorm) is expected in the provincial capital, Khyber, Charsadda, Mohmand, Nowshera, Swabi Mardan, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan, Shangla, Swat, Bunner, Malakand, Upper and Lower Dir, Bajaur, Chitral,  Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram districts while at scattered places in Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, D.I. Khan, Tank and South Waziristan.

The Met Office further said intermittent rain-thundershower¬– moderate to high intensity– is also expected in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan, Shangla, Swat, Upper Dir, Chitral, Bajaur, Bunner, Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and Mohmand districts. Snowfall may also occur over high mountains in Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, Kohistan and Mansehra districts, it added. 

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