At least 6 die as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc across KP

At least six people have died, including four children, while one person was injured over the last 24 hours in rain-related incidents as heavy downpours continue to lash parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Monday.

Last week, PDMA alerted the district administrations across KP to the possibility of floods due to a new spell of torrential rains from July 11 to 17. Heavy rainfall and flash floods have wreaked havoc in the province in June and are set to continue.

Pakistan experiences Monsoon rainfall from June to September every year. The heavy rains also trigger deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.

In Bajaur, a woman died after the boundary wall of her house collapsed due to heavy rain and gusty winds, according to the PDMA report, while in Khyber district, two children were swept away in a flash flood after heavy rains.

Per the report, Rescue 1122 officials found the body of one of the children, adding that efforts were underway to find the other missing child. Another child — who was injured after being struck by lightning — was taken to the hospital and is now in a stable condition.

In Kohat, a man died after the roof of his house caved in, while two children. aged seven and 12, died as a result of a wall collapse in Malakand.

According to the report, a total of three houses were partially damaged due to rain and flash floods. The PDMA has directed the relevant administrations to provide immediate assistance to the bereaved families and remain on high alert in case of an emergency.

According to the KP PDMA spokesperson, the authority was in touch with all district administrations and relief agencies. He added that PDMA’s Emergency Operation Centre was fully functional and urged the public to report any untoward incident on their helpline 1700.

The PDMA, in its countrywide weather advisory, warned that there was a risk of flooding in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Muree, Galiat, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Swabi, Nowshera, Mardan, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, DG Khan, North East Punjab, Balochistan and Kashmir as heavy rains continue.

According to the report, there was a risk of landslide due to the rain in KP, Murree, Galiat, Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, which may disrupt traffic movement.

PDMA advised citizens to exercise caution, as damaged infrastructure could pose a threat to public safety.

Low-lying areas of Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera and Peshawar may face flooding as well, the report said.

In the past 24 hours, the highest rainfall was recorded in Punjab with Okara receiving 72 millimetres of rain while Sahiwal recorded 66mm, Dera Ghazi Khan City 51mm, Bahawalnagar 36mm, Kot Addu 33mm, Gujranwala 12mm, Noorpur Thal 27mm, Karr (Leh) 23mm, Murree 22, Khanpur 13, Bhakkar 09, Islamabad (Bokra 9mm, Airport 7mm, Saidpur 4mm), Rawalpindi (Kachri 12mm, Chaklala 6mm, Peerewadahi 7mm), Jhang 6mm, Attock and Hafizabad 4mm, TT Singh and Sheikhupura 2mm.

In KP, the highest rainfall was recorded in Saidu Sharif at 28mm while the rest of the districts received: Mir Khani 20mm, Kalam 17mm, Malam Jabba 15mm, Takht Bai 13mm, Dir 12mm, D.I. Khan 14mm, Peshawar 13mm, Drosh 6mm, Kakul, Pattan, Cherat 5mm, Balakot 3mm, Bannu 1mm.

In Kashmir, Rawalakot stood at 20mm, while Kotli received 4mm of rain and Muzaffarabad received 3mm.

Balochistan recorded 13mm in Bar Khan, 9mm in Zhob, and 5mm in Sibi. 11 mm of rain was recorded in Gilgit-Baltistan in Astore.

The weather in other parts of the country remained hot and humid. The maximum temperature recorded was 43 degrees Celsius in Jacobabad, Rohri, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad in Sindh and Dalbandin in Balochistan.

Heavy rain predicted till July 17 countrywide: PMD

Meanwhile, heavy rain is predicted till July 17 countrywide, according to a weather advisory issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

According to the Met Office, a low-pressure area is presently located over northwest Madhya Pradesh in India and is likely to affect Pakistan, during the next 24 to 72 hours

“Under the influence of this weather system, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate the central and upper parts, while a westerly wave is also present over the upper parts of the country,” the PMD said.

Rain-windstorm/thundershowers with scattered heavy falls are expected in Azad Jammu and Kashmir from the night of July 14th to the 17th, while rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan as well, with occasional gaps.

In KP, rain-windstorm/thundershower with scattered heavy falls is expected in multiple districts, including Peshawar and Abbottabad.

“Rain-windstorm/thundershower with scattered heavy falls is expected” in Punjab as well as the capital.

In Balochistan, rain-windstorms/thundershowers with scattered heavy falls are expected in the northeastern and southern parts of the province, including Quetta, till July 16th.

For Sindh, rain-windstorm/thundershower is expected in Tharparkar, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Sukkur, Larkana, Dadu, Jacobabad, Khairpur and Shaheed Benazirabad from July 14th to the 16th with occasional gaps.

Light rain is also expected in Karachi, according to the advisory.

The advisory stated torrential rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs and streams of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, hill torrents of DG Khan, northeast Punjab, AJK and parts of Balochistan.

The PMD warned of urban flooding in low-lying areas of the twin cities, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Khanewal, Multan, Sahiwal, Okara, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, Nowshera and Peshawar.

Landslides and mudslides may cause road closures in the vulnerable hilly areas of KP, Murree, Galliyat, AJK and GB as well, according to the advisory. Torrential rain may damage standing crops in Punjab, KP and Kashmir

111 monsoon-related deaths since late June: NDMA

The monsoon rains have been linked to more than 110 deaths, including dozens of children, since they arrived in late June, according to data from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Data between June 26 and July 14 showed that electrocution was the leading cause of fatalities, followed by flash floods. In late June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank.

In its latest report, the NDMA said 111 people, including 53 children, have been killed, with the highest number of deaths in Punjab.