The monsoon death toll is rising in the province as authorities issue new landslide warnings
Three die in Khyber floods during widespread monsoon rains across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
Three people died after being swept away by flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Khyber district on Monday, as widespread downpours led to fresh floods and landslide warnings across large parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
A spokesman for Rescue 1122 said the death toll from the floods in Landi Kotal had risen to three after the bodies of a woman, a man and a child were recovered during search operations. The woman and the man were found in Jabba Khwar area of Jamrud, while the body of the child was recovered from Parang Sam area with the assistance of residents.
According to the spokesman, divers and local volunteers conducted a joint search operation before handing over the recovered bodies to the relevant authorities for legal formalities. Emergency services urged the public to avoid rivers, streams and seasonal waterways during heavy rainfall and to call 1122 in case of an emergency.
The floods followed torrential rains that lashed Landi Kotal and other upper parts of Khyber district, causing seasonal streams to overflow and sweeping away several vehicles. Authorities said no additional casualties were reported in those incidents.
Elsewhere in KP, heavy rains were reported in Peshawar and Nowshera, with dark clouds giving way to steady downpours, lowering temperatures significantly and making the weather more pleasant.
Read: PDMA warns of flooding in Punjab rivers as monsoon rains intensify
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said partly cloudy, hot and humid conditions would prevail over large parts of the province, with rain accompanied by strong winds and thundershowers expected in Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Battagram, Manbottabadbi, Marja, Abdán, Swat, Swat Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kurram, Orakzai and North and South Waziristan.
Isolated heavy rain and hail showers are also possible in some areas.
The department warned that heavy rains could trigger landslides in vulnerable mountainous areas, while low-lying parts of Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan and Swabi remain at risk of urban flooding. It also warned that strong winds and lightning could damage vulnerable infrastructure, including solar panels, power poles and billboards.
In a statement, Rescue 1122 said it put all district emergency services on high alert as monsoon rains continue across the province, instructing emergency response teams to remain fully prepared for potential flooding and other weather-related incidents.
During an emergency online meeting, Director General Rescue 1122 Shah Fahad directed all district emergency response officers, especially those in flood-prone and vulnerable districts, to ensure that emergency response operations were carried out in accordance with KP’s pre-approved monsoon preparedness plans.
At least 38 people have been killed and 120 injured since the start of the monsoon season on June 26, with KP recording the highest death toll of 23, according to the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA’s) latest daily situation report released last week.
The NDMA said house collapse remained the leading cause of monsoon-related deaths, accounting for 65.8% of all deaths. Lightning strikes were responsible for 15.8% of deaths, followed by flash floods at 7.9%. Solar panel incidents and drowning each accounted for 2.6% of deaths, while falling trees and electrocution were responsible for 2.6% each.
Meanwhile, the PMD warned that monsoon activity is expected to intensify over large parts of the country from July 18 with widespread rain, wind and thundershowers until July 25, increasing the risk of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides.
The PMD said wind storms and lightning “may damage weak structures (solar panels, electric poles, billboards, etc.)” during the forecast period. It also warned that landslides could occur in vulnerable areas of upper KP, Murree, Galiyat and Kashmir, while flooding is likely in local streams and nullahs across KP, northeast Punjab, Islamabad, GB, hill streams in Dera Ghazi Khan and northeast Balochistan with heavy rainfall.
Read more: Rain-related incidents kill nine, injure 28 across KP, Punjab
Last year’s monsoon season caused widespread devastation across Pakistan, claiming more than 1,000 lives and causing an estimated Rs 822 billion (about US$2.9 billion) in damage, according to government estimates. According to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the agriculture sector suffered the biggest losses, estimated at Rs430 billion, while damage to infrastructure amounted to Rs307 billion.
More than 312,000 homes were affected nationwide, with Punjab accounting for the vast majority. The floods also damaged 2,811 kilometers of roads, more than 2,200 educational institutions and 250 health facilities, while 866 water supply systems were affected.
The disaster also dealt a heavy blow to the agricultural sector, killing more than 2,200 livestock and destroying millions of tons of crops, including cotton, rice and sugarcane.
This is not without precedent. The 2022 floods caused $30 billion in economic losses and required $16.3 billion for reconstruction. A World Bank assessment found that 82% of the losses were agricultural products, affecting 4.4 million acres of farmland and 800,000 livestock. Sindh bore the brunt then, accounting for nearly 70% of the damage, while Balochistan and KP also suffered deeply.
