Catastrophic Rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 45 Lives Lost and 105 Injured
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Islamabad, April 5 (NationPress) A tragic event unfolded as at least 45 individuals lost their lives and 105 others sustained injuries due to severe rainfall that resulted in the collapse of roofs and walls in various regions of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since late March, as per the latest findings from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) released on Sunday, citing media reports.
The PDMA's report detailed that these fatalities were linked to structural failures during the intense rains that impacted numerous districts within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Among the deceased are 23 children, 17 men, and 5 women, while those injured consist of 45 men, 16 women, and 44 children, as reported by Geo News.
Furthermore, a total of 442 homes were affected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 382 suffering partial damage and 60 completely destroyed.
Casualties were recorded in multiple districts, including but not limited to Kohat, North Waziristan, Peshawar, Khyber, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Shangla, Battagram, Bannu, Abbottabad, Mardan, Bajaur, Hangu, Mohmand, Lower Dir, Orakzai, South Waziristan, Tank, Lower Kohistan, Mansehra, Torghar, Swat, Upper Dir, Charsadda, Buner, and Malakand.
The PDMA emphasized that they are maintaining communication with Rescue 1122, district administrations, and other relevant organizations to facilitate ongoing relief operations. Aid has been dispatched to the affected regions, and local authorities have been instructed to accelerate their relief initiatives to support the victims.
Authorities have also indicated that further rainfall is anticipated from April 6 to April 9, advising individuals to refrain from unnecessary travel, particularly to vulnerable tourist areas, and to adhere to safety advisories, as reported by Geo News.
In the meantime, varying intensities of rainfall, from light to heavy, impacted Pakistan's Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday, disrupting daily life considerably.
The rains commenced during the early hours of Friday and persisted until late at night, as stated by the renowned daily, Dawn.
Local residents, especially students scheduled to take their annual matriculation and ninth-grade exams under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, encountered significant challenges due to the inclement weather.
Areas particularly hit hard included Rashid Minhas Road, Nogaza Road, Transit camp Road, Ratta Amral Road, Jhanda Chichi Road, Ch. Bostan Khan Road, Saddar, Raja Bazaar, Farooq-i-Azam Road, and Sadiqabad Road.