11 more perish in K-P floods, eight injured

PESHAWAR:

As many as 11 people, including five children, were killed when roofs of houses collapsed due to rains in Tank and Karak districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Due to the heavy rains, a flood alert was issued in the rivers passing through Peshawar, Nowshera and Charsadda.

During the recent monsoon rains, the number of people killed in various incidents across the province soared to 53. The CM and governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have expressed their sorrow and grief over the loss of life and property.

The rains are continuing in the upper and plains of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while flooding persists due to a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF)in Chitral. As per reports, there was still a high level of flooding in the Chitral River.

A large part of the district, especially the village of Awan, has been flooded and standing crops have been severely damaged by the weather conditions. In Upper Chitral, the district administration has prepared a tent settlement for the flood-affected people.

According to PDMA,.11 people were killed and another eight injured when the roofs of house collapsed in Karak and Tank. Two men, four women and five children were among the deceased. At the same time, two men, a woman, and five children were injured.

A total of 16 houses were damaged by the wind and rain. According to PDMA, 53 people have died and 89 have been injured due to monsoon rains since July 1. An emergency has been imposed by the Relief Department in Upper Chitral in its bid to combat the heavy rains and flooding in the rivers and canals.

Another danger is that water level are likely to rise in the Kabul River and authorities have issued instructions to take precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, PDMA’s Emergency Operations Centre is continuously monitoring the flow and level of water in rivers through the flood warning system, while their joint efforts with the district administration to provide relief to the affected areas is ongoing.

As the operations continue, small and big teams have been formed to open the closed highways. The disaster management authority is continuing the process of providing materials to the victims in the affected areas.

A flood alert has been issued for the next 48 hours due to the high water level in the Kabul River and other similar water bodies. People living near the rivers in Nowshera and Charsadda have been instructed to move to a safer location.

The PDMA has issued a letter to the district administration of Peshawar, Nowshera and Charsadda to prepared for any eventuality.

Meanwhile, local people in Torkoh valley of Upper Chitral are making arrangements on their own to provide relief to the affected dwellers of Rech village who were badly impacted by the devastating flood that wreaked havoc in the area on July 31 (Wednesday).

According to some locals of Torkoh valley, floods and landslides have disconnected the area from main Chitral city, disrupting main route for supply of food and other essential items.

Realising gravity of the situation, locals in Torkoh and its adjoining areas decided to make arrangements by their own for providing relief to the flood affected people in Rech village, which is around a three-hour drive away from Torkoh in Upper parts of the district.