Nine killed in rain-related incidents in KP

PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the last 24 hours due to heavy rainfall while an emergency was declared in the province’s Lower and Upper Chitral districts till August 15.

Heavy rain with strong winds and thunderstorms lashed parts of the province on Saturday, triggering landslides and destroying infrastructure.

The rain continued intermittently through the day, resulting in a “large-scale devastation” in the district. The deluge also triggered flash floods in Chitral, which washed away bridges, roads, and livestock.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, several areas of the country are likely to continue to receive rain until July 26.

The latest report issued by KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said nine people had died over the last 24 hours, including two in Swat, two in Battagram, four in Mansehra and one in Buner.

The report further said that seven people had been injured, including three in Swat, three in Battagram and one in Mansehra.

The PDMA said nine houses had been fully damaged while 67 were partially damaged.

Separately, a notification issued by the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department said that the deputy commissioners of both districts had requested for an “emergency” to be declared in order to enable them to “launch immediate rescue and relief activities”.