Peshawar:
A flood of biblical proportions reached the areas of the country while the monzónic rains, cloud bubbles and landslides caused havoc, claiming more than 200 lives in just 24 hours, authorities reported Friday, a surviving catastrophe compared to the ‘day of day’.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) took the worst part of the apocalyptic scale disaster, with the Buner district in the eyes of the storm. Entire communities were swept, the demolished houses and the entire families lost in the blink of an eye.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a gloomy update on Friday night, confirming 194 deaths throughout the country. Of these, 180 were recorded in KP, nine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and five in the region of Northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
Among the victims there were at least 19 women and 17 children, and most of the deaths result from collapsing houses and the sudden and punishing wave of sudden floods, said the NDMA. Dozens of other people were reported wounded throughout the province.
However, the offices of our correspondents in several areas of KP suggested a number of accumulated dead of 214 in the province, until now, 157 only in the Buner district. Some media reports also put higher with death tolls of 10 in GB and 19 in AJK.
Buner arose as the most affected, with the chief secretary of KP, Shahab Ali Shah, confirming 100 deaths. The deputy commissioner declared flood emergencies in the subdivisions of Daggar, Gadenzai, Gagra, Mandanr and Chagharzai, while rescue teams fought against time and furious waters to save lives.
The human cost of the disaster is immense, with heartbreaking stories of survival and loss that arise from the remains.
“I heard a strong noise as if the mountain slid.
In the tribal district of Bajaur, which is borders Afghanistan, a strike of clouds and lightning around midnight in the town of Jabrai, Salarzai Tehsil, brought a total annihilation. Four houses were demolished, killing 21 people and hurting another five.
Rescue teams, challenging treacherous conditions, have recovered most of the victims, although two are still missing. The tragedy was aggravated by the fact that whole families were lost; The deceased included eight family members and five members of two other families.
The AFP photos of the scene captured the gloomy reality: a crowd gathered around an excavator digging through a mud soaked hill, while the funeral sentences remained in a paddock for several bodies covered by blankets.
Baja’s attached commissioner Shahid Ali confirmed that 19 bodies had been recovered. Rescue efforts were severely hindered by rapid flow water, river levels and land landslides that blocked road access for heavy machinery.
In the limit of Mansehra-Battagram, a cloudburst about the people of Dheri Haleem Neelban in the Shimlai area resulted in one of the most mortal individual incidents. More than 25 deaths have been confirmed after sudden rays and floods destroyed 10 houses, washing them in Nandhar’s furious current.
Sixteen bodies, including women and children, have been recovered from several points throughout the current, and search operations continue for the missing. It is reported that most of the deceased are from the same family.
The widest district of Mansehra witnessed multiple tragedies. In Nala Khareela Bassi of Balakot, a car was swept, killing two occupants. In Khairabad, a collapse of the house claimed the life of a mother and her little daughter.
The Shangla district staggers sudden floods and rays that have swept more than 20 people, and many are still missing and more than 50 wounds. In a heartbreaking incident, seven members of the same family perished.
The infrastructure has been decimated, with houses, stores and even damaged cemeteries. The main Alpuri-Bisham road was washed in two locations, cutting access to many areas. The district immersed itself in the dark after more than 35 main energy towers were damaged.
It is reported that Tehsil Puran is the worst hit area, with locations such as Kozpau, Alloch and Choga submerged for the first time in memory. In Mansehra, the Police rescued seven tourists trapped by heavy rains at Lake Sary Sar. In Swat, rescuers saved six people stranded on the Swat River.
National mobilized response
In response to the growing crisis, the KP government declared the seriously affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra and Battagram as areas affected by disaster, and announced on Saturday as a day of mourning.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting to review the flood situation, where he was informed by the president of the NDMA, Lieutenant Gen Inam Haider, Malik. He addressed the NDMA to use all the resources available to support the KP government in help and rescue efforts.
The NDMA is actively coordinating a massive response that involves PDMA, the Pakistan army, district administrations and rescue 1122. The field marshal of the Syed Army also Munir issued special instructions for the rehabilitation of people affected by floods in KP.
According to security sources, the Army Chief said that the troops deployed in KP would extend full assistance in the rehabilitation of people affected by floods. In this sense, additional military contingents were also being sent.
In addition, they declared that the Chief of the Army instructed the body of engineers to complete the bridge repair work as soon as possible and install temporary bridges when necessary. The Army Rescue Dog Unit was also being sent for search and rescue operations.
In addition, a special urban search and rescue team had also been deployed in the orders of the Army Chief, confirmed the sources, added that the Army helicopters and army aviation assets had already been deployed for the rehabilitation of people affected by floods.
The Pakistan army has donated the salary of one day and assigned to the ration of one day, which amounts to more than 600 tons, for the relief assistance of the people affected by the floods of KP. “Pakistan’s army is shoulder shoulder with the brave people of KP in each moment of difficulties,” said a source.
More rain forecast
The terrible experience in KP is far from finishing. The Department of Meteorology of Pakistan (PMD) has predicted more rain for Saturday (today), with great expected falls in the upper region of KP, the Potohar region and the Kashmir region.
The authorities warned that more rains could cause more floods in local currents and rivers and unleashed additional landslides in the vulnerable mountain areas of KP, GB, Murree and Ajk. A PDMA official said that this year’s Monzón season began before and is expected to end later. “The next 15 days … The intensity of the monsoon will exacerbate even more,” he warned.
In other places, heavy rains also paralyzed the infrastructure in GB, where land landslides blocked the crucial Road Jaglot-Skardu in four separate points. The National Highway Authority (NHA) has deployed equipment for authorization operations, which are being monitored throughout the day.
The authorities have urged the public to remain attentive, avoid rivers and currents and refrain from unnecessary trips. Tourists who do not visit the northern regions have been advised for the next five to six days as Pakistan orthopedic devices for more rain while crying a devastating loss of lives.
PM orders immediate relief, rescue operation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif celebrated an emergency meeting on Friday to review the situation of flooding in the country due to recent rains.
The president of the Lieutenant General of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), INAM Haider, Malik informed the prime minister about the damage caused by cloud bubbles and sudden floods in the upper parts of the country and on the rescue and relief operation.
The Prime Minister ordered the NDMA to continue his cooperation with the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Provincial Authority of Disaster Management (PDMA) to provide them with all possible support in the rescue and relief operation by using all available resources.
He addressed President NDMA to improve coordination with the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for rescue and relief activities.
Tents, medications, food and other relief materials should be delivered to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government immediately, he said that he added that relief supplies must be sent through trucks with priority.
He ordered that people and tourists stranded in areas affected by floods were immediately taken to safer places.
During the meeting, the prime minister was informed about the progress of rescue and relief operations along with an evaluation of damage.
Meanwhile, the prime minister held a telephone conversation with Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi and Prime Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur.
He said that NDMA has been ordered to provide any possible assistance to the provincial government in rescue and relief operations.
“The federal government will provide any possible assistance to the provincial government,” he said.
He told the main minister that the federal government was sending medicines, tents and food.
“Our sympathies are with the victims at this difficult time,” he added.
(With agencies inputs)
