Flood wreaks further havoc across K-P

PDMA says at least another 30 people were killed in K-P

PESHAWAR:

At least 30 people were killed and another 38 were injured in different rain-related incidents in different districts of the province on Thursday.

According to a daily bulletin published by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), at least 20 districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have so far been affected by the recent spell of heavy rains, glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) and subsequent flooding incidents in the province.

The report stated that as many as 15 houses were destroyed on Thursday while another 118 houses were partially damaged.

Rescue operations are underway in these rain and flood-hit areas, while efforts are also being made to reopen roads which were either washed away or have been blocked for vehicular traffic due to land sliding, said the report.

People who require assistance have been asked to contact the PDMA on its helpline 1700.

Meanwhile, the PDMA has issued an alert about another spell of heavy rains in different parts of the province over the next 24 hours.

The rains could trigger flash floods and land sliding in hilly areas, read the advisory.

The monsoon currents from the Bay of Bengal are likely to reach upper parts of the country during the next 12 to 18 hours. A westerly wave is also present over northwestern parts of the country, it added.

Meanwhile, the Swat River continued to flow in high flood at Chakdara where the water discharge was recorded at 56,353 cusecs, 36,671 cusecs at Munda, and 34,610 cusecs at Khawazakhela.

The water discharge in Panjgura River was recorded at 20,497 cusecs and River Kabul at Nowshera at 93,839 cusecs.

The PDMA has also issued flood warnings for Nowshera and Charsadda districts and locals have been advised to remain at high spots. The district administrations have been informed of the severe flooding in Swat and Kabul Rivers at these spots.Roof collapse kills five in Swabi

At least five people were killed and two others were injured when the roof of a house in Swabi collapsed due to the heavy rains there.

Local authorities informed that the roof of a house in Musa Banda area had collapsed under the weight of heavy rains, burying at least seven occupants under the debris.

After receiving information about the incident, rescue teams rushed to the spot and retrieved five dead bodies from the rubble and pulled another two in injured condition. The injured were rushed to the Bacha Khan Medical Complex.

According to rescue sources, three children were also among the dead.Chinese Embassy provides relief items for flood victims

The Chinese Embassy has provided relief items for 800 floods affected families which included food and non-food items.

The relief items were handed over the Swat district administration.

Meanwhile alert continued in flood-affected district of Shangla, Bahrain, Swat, Charsadda and Nowshera district.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2020.