ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued fresh flash floods warnings, urban flooding in vulnerable areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), and landslide in the hilly areas of the country.

An advisory issued here on Friday said that in the next 24 hours increased flows in local nullahs/streams of KP, especially in districts Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Rawalpindi, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and ICT are expected.

Moreover, urban flooding in vulnerable areas of Islamabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar Valley, and ICT are also expected.

Flash flooding and land sliding in hilly/mountainous regions of KP, Punjab, G-B, AJK with water flows in rivers and streams of G-B are likely to increase and high probability/risk of GLOF incidents in vulnerable mountain valleys, therefore, all the relevant quarters must take appropriate steps to avoid any kind of mishap.

Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, two persons were killed and one was injured in rain-related incidents in KP and Balochistan provinces and 423 houses were damaged, of which, 84 were fully destroyed and 339 were partially damaged. Most of the houses were damaged in Balochistan, wherein, a total of 411 houses were damaged, of which, 80 were totally destroyed, 10 houses were damaged in KP, and two in AJK.

The floods so far have resulted in the killing of 194 people, injuring 284, damaging 3,703 houses, and killing 1,114 livestock.

According to the NDMA, the flash floods so far have resulted in the destruction of 3,703 houses of which 1,630 were totally destroyed and 2,073 partially damaged. The flood waters have also swept away a total five bridges of which four in Balochistan and one in G-B as well as sweeping away 25.6 kilometres of roads of which 24 kilometres in Balochistan and 1.6 kilometres in G-B.

In the past 24 hours, most of the flood damages are reported from Balochistan where one person lost his life and 411 houses were damaged of which 80 were fully destroyed.

The torrential monsoon rains since June 26 coupled with severe weather conditions across several parts of the country, resulted in the loss of 1,114 livestock, of which, 628 in Balochistan, 222 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 213 in Sindh, 27 in G-B, 21 in AJK, and three in Punjab.

According to the NDMA’s data, the majority of the deaths are reported in Punjab mainly due to electrocution and building collapse. In Punjab, a total of 72 people including 32 men, 12 women, and 28 children have lost their lives, while another 163 people including 71 men, 51 women, and 41 children have sustained injuries. Moreover, 81 houses are also damaged in Punjab of which 77 were partially and four were fully destroyed and three livestock are also killed.

In KP, 54 people including 13 men, nine women, and 32 children have lost their lives owing to various rains-related incidents. In KP, 69 people including 22 men, 17 women, and 30 children have been injured. A total of 472 houses of which 389 were partially and 83 totally destroyed in KP as well as 222 livestock killed.

In Sindh province, 21 people including eight men, three women, and 11 children died owing to rain-related incidents. The NDMA so far reported 10 injuries from Sindh of which five men, four women, and one child. According to official data, 213 livestock losses are reported from Sindh province, wherein, a total of 342 houses are damaged of which 18 fully and 324 partially.

In Balochistan province, a total of 16 people including eight men, three women and six children lost their lives, wherein, 25 people including 16 men, two women, and seven children sustained injuries.

In ICT, 11 men have lost their lives owing to the floodwaters and five men sustained injuries, no house has been damaged in Islamabad and no cattle loss is reported from the federal capital.

In the G-B region, floodwaters have killed five people including one man, three women, and one child, while two men sustained injuries in the G-B region, wherein, a total of 49 houses are also damaged of which 19 fully and 30 partially. Moreover, 27 livestock losses are also reported in the G-B region.

The authorities have reported 14 deaths in the AJK region, including four men, six women, and four children. In AJK, 10 people including five men and five women also sustained injuries. Some 409 houses are also damaged in AJK of which 78 fully and 331 partially while floodwaters have killed 16 cattle in the AJK region.

According to NDMA, in district upper Chitral of KP, Mastuj-Yarkhun Road at Zhupu Bridge is still blocked due to heavy rain/flash floods. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has mobilised machinery for the early restoration of roads.

In G-B, Jaglot to Skardu (JSR) road at Shatot is still blocked owing to heavy rainfall/flash floods. The DDMA has mobilised machinery for the early restoration of roads.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023