Rescue teams work amid power outages, flooding and severe weather as rain disrupts daily life across the province
Heavy rain has caused flooding on the Zhob-Dera National Highway resulting in the road being closed PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
At least nine people have been killed and 47 others injured after heavy rain triggered roof and wall collapses in parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa since March 25, according to a report released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday. Intermittent rainfall is expected to continue until Tuesday.
The PDMA reported that the deaths occurred in several districts, including Bannu and North Waziristan. Eight of the dead were children, while one was a woman. Among the injured are 26 men and 21 children. In addition, six houses have received partial damage.
Rescue 1122, district administrations and other relevant agencies are coordinating and continuing relief operations.
Officials have directed local administrations in the affected districts to ensure prompt delivery of relief goods. Authorities in Bannu, the worst-hit district, have been instructed to provide immediate assistance to the families of those who lost their lives.
Heavy rain has also caused flooding on the Zhob-Dera National Highway, leading to its closure.
In Lakki Marwat, a roof collapsed in the Serai Noorung area late at night, injuring two children aged eight and three. Rescue teams picked them up from the rubble and moved them to a hospital.
In Nowshera, a roof collapsed in Bara Banda area, injuring two men and two women. Rescue 1122 teams evacuated all the injured and transported them to a hospital.
Read: Nine die in rain-related incidents in KP, Punjab
Intermittent rainfall continues across the province affecting Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, North Waziristan, Kohat, Bajaur, Dir, Chitral, Swat, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Battagram, Shangla and Khyber.
Light snowfall has been reported in the higher mountain areas, while lower hill areas experience a sharp drop in temperature.
In Lower Dir, heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours has caused flooding in local streams and shallow flooding in the Panjkora River. The storms have also disrupted power supplies and left several areas without power overnight. Strong winds and rain have brought colder conditions back to the region.
Peshawar and its surrounding areas have also been affected, with low-lying neighborhoods under water and water pooling on roads, causing traffic disruption.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in flood-prone areas, and to follow official advice.
PDMA, Rescue 1122, district administrations and other agencies remain engaged in the relief efforts. The Director General of PDMA has directed local administrations, especially in Bannu, to speed up relief operations and provide immediate support to affected families.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the loss of life, according to a statement issued by the governor’s press secretary.
