ISLAMABAD - Rescue and relief operations are in full swing in the flood-hit areas across the country and at least 118 people have died and 67 injured while 0.8 million people of different areas have been affected by monsoon rains in the country.
In a statement, the National Disaster Management Authority said, 59 people died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 in Punjab, 20 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 10 in Balochistan and 05 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Some 618 relief camps and 150 medical camps have been set up and 1,180 life jackets,” it said, adding 100 life rings were also provided for the rescue of stranded people. It said that some 8,17,173 people have been affected by floods so far across the country.
Moreover, it said 67 people have also been injured in flood related incidents, including 26 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 24 in Balochistan, five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and two in Gilgit-Baltistan and four in Punjab. It said that floods have also damaged 2,747 houses in different parts of the country. It said that around 45,000 people were shifted to safer places.
The NDMA said that over 32,000 tents were provided to the flood victims. “Other relief goods, including 2009 tons of ration, 1500 tarpaulins and 8467 blankets have also been provided to the affected people across the country,” it added.
According to GLOF alert, a severe weather system is likely to persist for next 3-4 days in GB and Chitral, having potential to produce Glacial Lake Out brust Flood (GLOF), particularly in PMD’s pilot GLOF sites Bagrot, Bindogol and Golain valleys.
According to latest Meteorological and Hydrological conditions observed by Flood Forecasting Division Lahore, River Indus at Kalabagh is likely to attain high flood level, ranging between 500,000 cusecs to 550,000 cusecs during the period from 0600 PST of 2nd August 2015 to 0600 PST of 3rd August 2015. The current meteorological conditions heavy rainfall is expected over Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas during next 36 hours.
Agencies add: As many as 12 more people died and 15 others sustained injuries on Monday in different rain-related incidents in various parts of country.According to details, at least six members of a family died in Mamund Tehsil of Bajaur Agency after roof of a house collapsed leaving five wounded.
In Bhalwal, roof of a seminary collapsed in Ashraf Colony claiming life of a man. In Dhangana area of Kundian, roof collapse claimed a life and left four injured.
A man and his daughter lost their lives in Talagang in rain-related incident. As many as four people have been reported injured in a roof collapse in Gujranwala’s Maralawala area.
Bodies of 2 men, drowned in Dadu Canal, Larkana, have also been recovered by Pak Navy teams.
Meanwhile, dozens of villages were submerged in floodwater following breach in Jatoi dyke at Kot Mithan in Rajanpur district. Some families have moved to safer locations while others are still waiting for government`s assistance.
Floods have also drowned several villages of Kot Addu in Muzzafargarh. In Goth Gul Mehr, television footage showed many families taking refuge on trees to escape the devastation of the passing flood.
A bridge was partially damaged due to flooding in seasonal nullah in Kalabagh area, suspending road traffic on Bannu-Mianwali Road.Flood waves have entered Rahim Yar Khan district in south Punjab, while a high-level flood in the River Indus in Sukkur has inundated hundreds of villages by the river banks.
A similar situation was witnessed in Kashmore district of Sindh, where floodwater had inundated villages by banks of the river Indus. The population has been facing shortage of food supplies and drinking water. Some of the affected people said the local population was unable to relocate due to unavailability of boats.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner in Kashmore district claimed the local administration had made adequate arrangements but the inhabitants were not ready to relocate themselves.
Water inflow at Guddu Barrage has been recorded at 750,000 cusecs. Water level has reached 642 ft at Chashma and 692 ft at Jinnah Barrage. There is high level flood in Indus River at Sukkur, Kotri Barrage and Bhakar.
Pakistan Navy’s rescue teams have evacuated over 1000 people of the low-lying areas along River Indus during their rescue and relief operations.
According to the Pak Navy spokesman, these operations are in progress in Khairpur, Ghotki, Pano Aqil, Ranipur and Gambat.
A report by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) stated that 73 people died of flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during last month.
According to the PDMA report, at least 31 people have been injured and 11 are missing.
The highest number of deaths was reported in Chitral with 34, nine people were killed in Karak, eight in Dir Bala, five in Shangla, four in Peshawar, four in Abbottabad and three in Kohat. Similarly, at least 1,118 homes were damaged while 437 completely destroyed.