With hundreds dead, K-P braces for another monsoon onslaught

As Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) residents continue to reel from the devastating floods that claimed 393 lives, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned of another spell of heavy rains, flash floods, urban flooding, and landslides from August 23 to 26.

According to a PDMA report, the recent deluge left 393 people dead and 190 others injured across the province. Among the deceased were 300 men, 53 women, and 40 children, while the injured included 145 men, 27 women, and 18 children.

The floods also damaged 1,618 houses — 1,185 partially and 433 completely destroyed. Buner remained the worst-hit district, recording 234 fatalities, while Swabi reported 42 deaths. Other badly affected areas included Swat, Bajaur, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Battagram, and Swabi.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast that strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, coupled with a westerly wave, are likely to bring widespread rain-wind/thundershowers with scattered heavy to very heavy falls in most districts. These include Chitral, Swat, Dir, Kohistan, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar Valley, the merged districts, the southern belt, and Dera Ismail Khan.

The PDMA cautioned that heavy downpours may trigger flash floods in local streams, urban flooding in Peshawar, Nowshera, Tank, and D.I. Khan, as well as landslides in vulnerable hilly districts such as Abbottabad, Battagram, Shangla, and Kohistan.

Authorities have been directed to clear drainage systems, deploy emergency services in advance, stockpile essential supplies, and issue alerts in local languages. Travelers and tourists have been advised to avoid hilly and flood-prone areas, follow official instructions, and take precautionary measures during the forecast period.

The PDMA has urged the public to remain vigilant, cooperate with local administrations, and report emergencies to its toll-free helpline 1700, which is operational around the clock.