6 dead as rain wreaks havoc in K-P, Balochistan

Cold intensified after rain, snowfall in districts of K-P, Balochistan

DIR UPPER/QUETTA:

At least six people have been killed and around a dozen injured in rain related incidents in different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochsitan.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) claimed that three people have died and at least one injured in the province so far.

Two people were killed in heavy downpours and snowfall in the Upper Dir district of K-P on Friday.

In the first incident, a levies man Fazal Mula was left seriously injured in a landslide in the Shontage area of Upper Dir. He was rushed to the nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police said that the man was not on duty and was constructing a house near a hillock in heavy rain during which the landslide left him seriously injured.

In the Abakund area of Dir a 17-year-old girl lost her life in a wall collapse. She died on the spot.

Read Child wards out of beds as cold intensifies

It is worth mentioning here that the mountainous regions K-P have received heavy snowfall and rains in recent days including Dir Upper, Swat, Chitral, Naran, Kaghan, Nathia Gali, North and South Waziristan, Kurram, Orakzai and parts of Khyber tribal district.

This has created a lot many problems for the local residents who have been trapped inside their houses in the extreme cold weather without drinking water and electricity.

On the other hand, the snowfall has been attracting tourists from all parts of the country in large numbers despite the fact that in most hill stations there are no accommodation facilities available for tourists.

Three die in Balochistan:

Three children were killed in a roof collapse incident in Uthal on Friday after heavy downpour as torrential rains continued in parts of Balochistan.

Rains and snowfall in different districts of Balochistan have further increased the element of chill in the air. Heavy snowfall was reported in Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Kan Mehtarzai and Ziarat.

Officials told The Express Tribune that the roof of a room collapsed in Goth Shafi Mohammad Shahook, Derja area of Uthal, as a result three children Aziz, Naveed and Abida died and three others including a woman were left seriously injured.

A rescue team was sent to the area by Deputy Commissioner Lasbela and the injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Uthal initially and then rushed to Karachi for further treatment.

Due to the rains, low-lying areas in different districts including Quetta have been inundated as electricity and gas supply has been disrupted completely.

According to the information received from Chaman, after several hours of hard work by the district administration, the Kojak top has been cleared of snow and the traffic restored.

According to Meteorological Department, a minimum temperature of 14 degree Celsius was recorded in the Gwadar coastal area of Balochistan, minimum temperature of seven degree Celsius was recorded in Sibi and minimum temperature of eight degree Celsius was recorded in Nokundi.

The severe gas shortage in the province has increased the difficulties of the local population in the face of plunging temperatures.
 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2022.