During the last two months stormy rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to wreak havoc due to which the standing crops were destroyed. Fruit orchards have also been destroyed due to which the year-round hard work of the farmers has been wasted. 12 people were killed due to the torrential rains that occurred yesterday while 56 houses were destroyed.
It should be remembered that 14 people were seriously injured due to the rains that have been going on for three days. Due to this number of people killed in three days has increased to 12. PDMA has stated in its report that the dead include 6 men, 2 women and 4 children, while the injured include 5 men, 2 women and seven children. A total of 56 houses were damaged.
Due to falling of walls, roofs and lightning 51 houses were partially damaged and five houses were completely damaged. The body of the child has been recovered while the search for the other child is ongoing.
According to PDMA, due to heavy rains, life and financial accidents have occurred in various districts of the province: Bajaur, Swat, Mansehra, Batgram, Dir Lower Malakand, Lucky Marwat and Kazai, Shangla.
In Dir Upper, Buner, Lower Chitral, Nowshera and Mohmand, the district administration and relief teams are engaged in relief activities in the affected districts. All available resources are being utilized to open the tourist spots besides tourists are instructed to move to safe places.
According to the meteorological department, there is a possibility of heavy rain with strong wind in Peshawar. Other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also receive more rain which may continue intermittently till Wednesday. Damage occurred in Bajaur, Swat, Mansehra, Batgram, Dir, Lower Malakand, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Orakzai, Shangla and Dir upper. AS like that Buner, Lower Chitral, Nowshera, Mohmand are also among the affected districts. According to PDMA, district administration, teams are engaged in relief activities, roads closed in rain affected districts are being opened.
The public should report any untoward incident at 1700. In view of the devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan due to the recent heavy rains, the King Salman Relief Center has distributed 9,000 kits containing shelter and non-food items to meet the basic needs of the flood victims have been dispatched.
More than 63,000 people will benefit from these 9,000 shelter non-food items kits containing shelters, solar panels, blankets, plastic mats, kitchen sets, water coolers and anti-bacterial soap.
The flood victims living in five districts of Upper Dir, Lower Chitral, Swat, Charsadda, DI Khan, and while in three districts of Balochistan, Gwadar, Chaghi, Pashin, will be directly benefited.
These relief kits will be distributed in flood affected areas with the cooperation of National Disaster Management Authority and Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
This initiative demonstrates the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to humanitarian efforts and reflects its ongoing commitment to help affected families in Pakistan in times of crisis.
However, more steps are needed at the provincial level to ensure that any emergency Lifeboats and helicopters are present on the spot so that it is easy to evacuate the trapped people. It has often been seen that government aid arrives when the water has gone over the head. Besides, more floods have been predicted this year.
Therefore during this season the provincial and district administration will have to be vigilant. On the other hand the provincial government needs to further update the most important rescue service of the province so that its capabilities can be further increased so that more facilities will be available to the people in remote affected areas.
Specially, 1122 need to be equipped with helicopters in every district but even if this is not possible then service should be provided in a few sensitive districts at the earliest opportunity to improve the rescue process.
