Mudslides, rainfall wreak havoc in K-P
photo: file
As monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eight people were reported injured on Tuesday and 30 others relocated in Lower Dir as mudslides hit the area.
The onslaught of heavy rain resulted in a house being completely destroyed when a mudslide hit, leaving the injured to be transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Timergara.
Across various districts in the province, including Peshawar, the scorching heat was quelled by rain, bringing relief to the local population. However, heavy rainfall also resulted in river flooding, leading to debris on the GT road and major disruptions to the traffic system.
Furthermore, the downpour washed away roads in both urban and upper areas and elevated the water level in the Panjkora River.
Locals complained that they have taken it upon themselves to provide relief to affected communities as no help has been received from the district administration or rescue authorities thus far.
The flood danger was particularly imminent in areas like Pai, where hundreds of houses were destroyed and thousands of people displaced.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported significant financial losses in some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a result of the heavy rainfall.
Flood alert
Meanwhile, the PDMA Punjab issued a flood alert in the nullahs of the Chenab River.
The spokesperson of the PDMA warned of medium floods in the Chenab nullahs and revealed that all dams on the Sutlej and Beas rivers in India have been filled to capacity, with more rainfall expected in their upper catchment areas.
The PDMA has forecast heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in the catchment areas of major rivers in the next 24 hours.
The monsoon rain spell is expected to continue until August 23, with flooding anticipated in the Sutlej River at Ganda Singh Wala and other low-lying areas.
Divisional commissioners and respective district administrations have been alerted to the possibility of flooding.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has also predicted more monsoon rains in the upper parts of the country.
Moderate to heavy falls may increase the water flows in local nullahs/streams of Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2023.