Rain-related incidents claim 4 more lives in K-P, death toll reaches 25
Photo: File
At least 25 people have died, and 77 others have been injured in rain-related incidents in several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) since March 25, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Thursday.
According to the data shared by the authority, casualties included 18 children, two men, and five women, while the injured comprised 33 men, nine women, and 35 children.
The PDMA reported that a total of 88 houses had been damaged since March 25, including 71 that were partially damaged and 17 that were destroyed. The incidents were reported in multiple districts, including Bannu, Abbottabad, Kohat, Peshawar, Nowshera, Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Kurram, Hangu, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Upper Dir, Battagram, North Waziristan, and Tank.
پی ڈی ایم اے کی جانب سے 25 مارچ سے اب تک ہونے والی بارشوں کے باعث صوبہ کے مختلف اضلاع میں جانی و مالی نقصانات کی رپورٹ جاری@GovernmentKP @KPChiefMinister @CSKPOfficial @infokpgovt @kptourism @Arifulah86 pic.twitter.com/9wJ6d2W32B
The PDMA stated that it was coordinating with Rescue 1122, district administrations, and other relevant institutions, with relief operations continuing in affected areas.
"Officials have been directed to provide immediate assistance to victims, particularly in Bannu, which has been identified as the worst-affected district," the PDMA report read.
Read More: PDMA issues GLOF alert for K-P districts
Authorities also urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel and refrain from visiting vulnerable tourist locations. They advised people to follow official alerts and advisories, adding that the "Emergency Operations Centre remains fully functional, and a helpline has been made available for information and assistance."
On Tuesday, the PDMA issued a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) alert for five upper districts of K-P, directed district administrations to take precautionary measures, and advised residents in low-lying areas to remain alert.
According to the PDMA, glaciers may melt due to prevailing weather conditions in Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat, and Upper Kohistan, adding that intense rainfall could trigger glacial lake outbursts, flash floods, and landslides in these regions.
The advisory had mentioned that scattered rainfall and thunderstorms, including isolated heavy downpours, are expected to affect vulnerable areas, increasing the risk of GLOFs and flash floods, where rising temperatures combined with rainfall may accelerate glacier melt.