3 dead in relentless K-P rains, flooding

Three people were killed while seven others injured in rain- and flood-related incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the last three days, a statement issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday said.

It said that 221 houses were damaged while 102 destroyed in the province.

According to the PDMA spokesperson, relief goods were distributed among the rain affectees of Bajaur, Khyber, Kurram, DI Khan and Upper Kohistan.

In Shah Alam tehsil, Peshawar, the additional deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner and the representatives of irrigation department, Rescue 1122, Town Municipal Administration (TMA), police and field staff of the revenue department rushed to the flood-affected areas and launched relief operation.

Announcements were also made through loudspeakers of local mosques to avoid going towards the river while the TMA, field staff of revenue department and rescue teams equipped with required machinery have been deployed in the locality.

Similarly, district administration, revenue staff, irrigation department and teams of Rescue 1122 have been put on alert in DI Khan while relief operation also continued. A flood relief centre has also been established for the affectees of rain and flood in Government Higher Secondary School, Ramak.

In Lower Chitral, the machinery of National Highway Authority (NHA) has been activated and after hectic efforts of 14 hours, all closed roads have been partially opened for traffic.

Meanwhile, PDMA Director General Sharif Hussain directed the district administrations of all rain- and flood-affected districts to make estimates of losses and provision of all possible assistance to the affectees.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2022.