Fatal downpour : Merciless rain in K-P leaves death in its wake

Walls of jail barracks collapse in DI Khan as rainwater seeps in .

KARAK/ NOWSHERA/ HANGU/ UPPER DIR/ BANNU/ DI KHAN:

As many as 10 people lost their lives while three others were injured in southern parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, as rain continues to wreak havoc in.

Raining death

At least four deaths were reported from various areas of DI Khan. According to an official of the district administration, a woman died after the roof of her house collapsed in Anwar Kalan.

An insider told The Express Tribune heavy rain has also brought out poisonous snakes.

“Two residents of Kot Walidad lost their lives after being bitten by a snake,” he added.

Another man, who had been admitted to a hospital after being wounded in a rain-related incident in Mughal Kot area, succumbed to his injuries.

A man rescues livestock in DI Khan. PHOTO:  RAMZAN SEEMAB/EXPRESS

In Karak, four persons died when the roof of a house collapsed in Kandu Khel village.

In Hangu, a 12-year-old girl lost her life while three others were injured when the roof of a house caved in due to heavy rain in Tori War area.

Another person was swept away by heavy currents in Panjkora River in Sahibabad area of Upper Dir.

Officials of the district administration said the boy has been identified as Irshad while his body was not recovered till this report was filed.

No respite

The heavy downpour has also affected livestock in Karak. At least eight animals perished in the same area. A considerable part of the region is inundated with water and the armed forces have been forced to carry out relief activities in boats. So far, they have distributed rations among 400 people.

Children cross a stream near Motorway camp. PHOTO: INP

Over 300 families in the region were forced to leave their homes due to rain and flood rampage. According to an official privy to the development, a large number of affected families have moved to government schools and mosques. “Most of these initiatives have been taken on a self-help basis,” he added.

Meanwhile, residents of Khojri union council in Bannu said over 200 houses have been affected in their area by recent rains and flashfloods.

In the Gamshal Darra area of Upper Dir, a boulder rolled down from a mountain and hit the roof of a house, killing more than 20 animals.

On the walls

Rainwater has also caused difficulties for inmates at DI Khan Central Prison after jail barracks were inundated.

According to insiders, water was dripping from the roofs of the building and many walls collapsed.

Upon his visit to the prison, DI Khan DC Nisar Ahmed declared the building risky to accommodate prisoners. He wrote a letter to the provincial government and urged it to look into the matter.

There are 390 inmates in the prison, out of whom 15 are hardened criminals and four are on death row.

Precautionary measures

High-levels of floods were also reported in Kabul River in Nowshera.

People who lived near the river vacated their houses from Saturday night onwards. As a result, no loss of life was reported. Flood warnings have also been reported in Swat and Kabul rivers in Charsadda. However, many locals have started moving to safer terrain.

Meanwhile, rescue work continues in Chitral. Insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune 45 assessment teams have been sent to the region to ascertain losses and damage caused by the floods.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2015.