Rainfall causes 24 deaths in KPK, PDMA warns against landslide or floods

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ISLAMABAD: The arrival of monsoon rains across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in 24 fatalities and 17 injuries, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The monsoon season in Pakistan, spanning July to August, typically brings around 255mm of rain each month. In 2022, severe flooding from the monsoon caused significant damage nationwide, destroying over 75,000 homes and partially damaging 130,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, based on government and international aid agency reports.

The latest KP PDMA report reveals that excessive rainfall led to saturated flood basins, overflowing rivers, and overwhelmed drainage systems, causing widespread flooding. Over the past three days, 24 people died due to roof collapses and other rain-related incidents, with the highest number of casualties, 10, reported in Kohat, including six children.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Brief Report On Current Rain Spells
(29th July, 2024 to Till Date)#PDMAKP #pdmaupdates #monsoon2024 #heavyrain #GLOF #flashflood #HouseCollapse #roofcollapse #Landsliding @CSKPOfficial @GovernmentKP @ndmapk @caesar_kahn pic.twitter.com/BM1wYR7dgr

— PDMAKP OFFICIAL (@PDMAKP) August 1, 2024

The district administration, along with Rescue 1122 and local volunteers, recovered the deceased and provided non-food items (NFIs) such as tents, mattresses, blankets, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits to affected families.

Upper Chitral suffered the most infrastructure damage, with 107 homes either fully or partially destroyed by flash floods. In total, 150 houses were damaged in KP over the three days, with 77 partially damaged and 73 destroyed.

Flash floods and house collapses were also reported in Hangu, Haripur, Mansehra, Lower Dir, Charsadda, Mohmand, Bajaur, and Abbottabad, where landslides were also noted.

floods in kpk

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the monsoon system has advanced into the country’s upper areas from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

This system is expected to bring heavy rains, which may lead to flooding in local rivers and streams in regions such as Murree, Galliyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Chitral, Dir, and Shangla.

Moreover, there are also concerns about potential flooding in local streams in Buner, Bannu, Kurram, Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Orakzai, Khyber, Mohmand, Nowshera, and Swabi.

The NDMA warns of potential flooding in local streams across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and northeastern Punjab, as well as hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and nearby areas. Urban flooding is possible in low-lying regions including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several cities.

The monsoon system may also trigger landslides in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other hilly areas. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority and relevant agencies are on high alert.

The public is advised to avoid unsafe structures, and fast-moving waterways, and to check weather and road conditions before traveling.