Flash floods sweep away at least 50 houses in Pakistan’s KP province

Gulf Today Report

The monsoon rain spell has continued in various areas of Pakistan since Saturday night, causing inundation in low-lying areas, media reported on Sunday.

The prevailing monsoon effects have increased the risk of urban flooding in mega cities.

Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains left seven people dead and caused massive destruction in Upper Kohistan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) province on Sunday as at least 50 houses and a small power station were washed away, an official said.

The flooding coincides with heavy rains in Chitral and Peshawar districts of KP province, where one person died and two were injured in the last 24 hours, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

At least seven people, including children, were killed in rain related-incidents in KP and Balochistan provinces, according to NDMA. In Peshawar city, 23 houses were entirely damaged whereas 14 houses were partially damaged.

According to a media report, a local revenue officer said that around 50 houses were swept away in the floods in Upper Kohistan districe, adding that he has constituted five team that have been dispatched to the affected areas for relief, rescue work and the assessment of human and financial losses.

The monsoon rains that wreaked havoc in many areas of Pakistan resulted in the deaths of over 310 people, including 118 children and damaged 8,889 houses, according to the NDMA report.

A report issued by the NDMA stated that 99 deaths were reported in Balochistan province, 61 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 60 in Punjab, 70 in Sindh, eight in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one death was reported in Islamabad. At least 284 people were injured in the rain-related incidents.