33 people died, 46 others injured in rain related accidents in KP | More rains likely in parts of Punjab, KP, Sindh, Balochistan: Met Office.
ISLAMABAD/CHITRA L/PESHAWAR - Heavy rains lashed parts of the country including the federal capital on Thursday as westerly weather system begins affecting most parts of the country.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicts rain-windstorm/ thunderstorm with few heavy fall/hailstorms for most places of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit- Baltistan, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad and north Balochistan. As per the synoptic situation, a strong westerly wave was affecting most parts of the country and likely to grip upper parts tonight.
On the other hand, as many as 33 people have died and 46 others have been injured so far due to heavy rains in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the report issued by Provincial Disasters Management, 17 children, eight men and eight women are among the dead, while the injured include six women, 32 men and eight children.
A total of 1932 houses were damaged due to the collapse of walls and roofs in different districts, in which 326 houses were completely damaged and 1606 houses were partially damaged.
Due to heavy rains, life and financial accidents occurred in various districts of Khyber, Dir Upper and Lower, Chitral Upper, Swat, Bajaur, Shangla, Mansehra, Mohmand, Malakand, Karak, Tank, Mardan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Bunir, Hangu, Battghramn, Bannu, North and South Waziristan, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan and Orakzai districts.
A day earlier, a Spokesman for Balochistan government Shahid Rind said that at least eight people died and nine others sustained injuries due to lightning strikes and falling roofs of mud houses in respective areas of the province. He said that steps were being taken to deal with the unusual situation of rains in Balochistan saying that about 8 people and 09 people were injured in rain incidents including lightning strikes and roofs of mud houses collapsing in the province so far.
The spokesman said that the initial reports of damage have been received saying that about 40 houses were damaged due to rain and flood water, while 92 houses were partially damaged so far.
In the wake of recent heavy rains and devastating flash floods, various roads in different parts of Chitral were closed, severely disrupting all kinds of traffic on Thursday.
According to details, the incessant rainfall resulted in rivers and streams overflowing, carrying large boulders and debris from the mountains onto the roads, rendering them impassable.
As a consequence, vital routes such as Orghooch, Bakamak, Shaodok, and Denin were shut down, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and facing immense difficulties.
The closure of crucial roads has not only hampered transportation but also posed significant risks to pedestrians due to the continuous falling of rocks and debris from the mountains. Local residents lamented the neglect of the Orghooch road, which was constructed during the British colonial era but has since received little attention.
While the closure of this road forced people to undertake arduous journeys on foot, besides with some even having to carry patients on stretchers to reach hospitals. However, responding to the crisis, the district administration and Communication and Works Department swiftly initiated the clearance of blocked roads by deploying tractors and excavator machines, making them passable for traffic once again.