Swabi:
The sudden floods caused by a powerful cloud and a ray hit the remote mountainous region of Gadoon-Alazai in the Swabi district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) at dawn on Monday, leaving at least 25 people dead and another 35 wounds.
The entire villages submerged when the torrential waters swept houses, cattle and infrastructure, which adds to the increase in the devastating season of Monzón. “A cloud in Swabi completely destroyed several houses,” a district official told the AFP.
According to the locals, the sudden wave of water sprouting destroyed dozens of houses in Dalori Bala, Sarkoi Payan and Karnal Sher Kallay Puebles, burning families under mud and debris. “At least 40 people are still missing,” said a local resident.
Swabi’s attached commissioner Nasrullah Khan confirmed that 20 people perished only in Dalori Bala, with only 10 bodies recovered so far. In Sarkoi Payan, two women and their children were swept, while in Karnal Sher Kallay, a young man drowned in flood waters.
In other places, land landslides buried vehicles in the town of Bada, and several roofs collapsed in Kolagar. The road that links Topi with Marghuz and Zaida was swept, while the electricity pylons and mobile communication networks collapsed under the force of the rains.
Two Pakistan army helicopters were sent to air transport survivors, while rescuing 1122 Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera and Haripur teams joined the operations. Tayyab Abdullah, General Rescue Director 1122, arrived in Swabi to personally supervise the mission, displaying more than 90 personnel, 13 ambulances, disaster vehicles, water units and specialized equipment.
The Provincial Authority for Disaster Management (PDMA) reported that the number of deaths in the monsoon in KP in KP had reached 341, including 222 only in the Buner district. At least another 178 were injured and 420 damaged houses.
Throughout the province, torrential rains caused more floods and landslides that swept the entire settlements. The relief work was hindered by continuous rains, with new spells that threatened more sudden floods in the next few days.
Buner, the hardest district, saw 12 villages annihilated last week. “This morning, Fresh Rains forced relief operations,” said Volunteer Nisar Ahmad, 31, who has been digging through the rubble to recover bodies.
He added that 219 bodies had already been recovered. “Dozens are even buried under mud and rocks, and can only be recovered with heavy machinery. But the improvised clues we build to access the villages have been eliminated once again.”
Other affected districts include Swat, Bajaur, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Battagram and its surroundings, PDMA said. “These extreme climatic events have severely impacted communities, leaving many displaced and urgent help,” said a PDMA official.
Meanwhile, a stormy downpour resulted in the collapse of a roof in the Pabbi Chako Mamrez area in the Nowshera district, claiming the life of a couple. In Lower Dir, the continuous rain has caused the streams and drains to overflow, significantly increasing the water level of the Panjkora River.
Fear and despair seized the survivors. Ghulam Hussain, 35, a resident of Buner, recalled: “Even if it rains a little now, we feel scared. That day, it started with light rain and then the people suddenly were swept.” Food and water scarcity has emerged as a serious concern.
“Many cattle have also perished in the cloud, and their decomposition bodies are spreading an unpleasant smell,” warned the volunteer Ahmad. “At this time, our most urgent need is clean drinking water, and appeal to the government to provide it.”
In the directives of Prime Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the KP government released RS3 billion for relief and rehabilitation, half of immediate assistance and half for the repair of roads and communication networks.
The authorities also sent 89 tent trucks, bedding, mosquito networks, food and essential elements. Mobile hospitals, drain pumps and emergency camps were established, with more than 5,000 people rescued so far.
In a high -level meeting, the prime minister promised that all available resources would be mobilized for immediate relief and long -term rehabilitation. “The provincial government will not abandon people in this hour of necessity,” he said.
At the national level, the National Authority for Disaster Management (NDMA) reported that the heavy rains of the Monzón have killed more than 650 people and wounded more than 920 since June. Preliminary estimates give damage to public and private property in more than RS126 million.
Tarbela near
Meanwhile, the PDMA said the rain spell would continue until August 21. The last weather warning emphasizes that heavy rains for the Peshawar, Swat, Hazar, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Chitral KP regions are predicted. Moderate to strong rain is also expected in Punjab and Sindh that added.
After the rain continues in KP, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmira (AJK), the water level in the dams is increasing. The water level in Tarbela DAM increased to 1,547 feet, which led to only three feet of its maximum capacity, authorities said.
For the third consecutive day, the dams of the dam remained open to handle the assembly pressure. According to the latest data, water entry is 345,000 Cusec, while the exit has reached 381,000 Cusec.
The Indo River in Tarbela is currently witnessing a medium level flood situation, although the authorities have warned that if flood torrents obtain greater intensity, water discharge could rise to 450,000 CUSECs.
In anticipation of the rising waters, officials have advised the Riverside communities to have caution, while a complete prohibition has been imposed on tourist visits to the banks of the rivers to prevent mishaps. The authorities continue to monitor the situation closely while the rains of the monsoon persist.
(With contributions from our Peshawar and AFP correspondent)
