PESHAWAR/RAWALPINDI
With the country’s northern areas, predominantly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, facing wide-scale destruction and loss of life due to rains and floods, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more intense torrential rains across the country commencing today (Sunday).
“Strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are continuously penetrating into the country. Low Pressure System (LPA) over the Bay of Bengal is likely to move westward from August 17 (today) and intensify this monsoon activity,” the Met Office said in a statement.
Also, a westerly wave was present over the country under the influence of these meteorological conditions, it added.
Widespread rain-wind/thundershowers (with scattered heavy falls at times very heavy) are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kohat and Peshawar. Heavy downpour is likely in Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan till August 19 (Tuesday).
The forecast comes as the deaths in rain-related incidents across the country, mostly KP, GB and AJK, have surpassed the grim 300-mark with KP reporting the highest tally of 314 fatalities as per a statement issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Sunday. GB and AJK have reported 12 and 11 fatalities so far — pushing the total death toll in northern areas to at least 337.Giving a breakdown of the deaths in KP, the PDMA said that those killed in various incidents include 264 men, 29 women and 21 children.
With 156 left wounded, the rains and floods damaged 159 houses, out of which 97 were partially damaged and 62 have been completely destroyed. Flood-ravaged Buner has reported the highest tally with 209 fatalities, the authority said, adding that rain and flood-related incidents have been reported in Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla and Battagram as well.
PDMA relief teams and district administration are in full communication with each other, it said.
Speaking during a media briefing, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that that rehabilitation work was underway in areas where communication roads had been damaged.”Relief supplies and food will be provided in the affected districts.
NDMA is in constant contact with the provincial governmen,” Lt Gen Malik said, adding that a search for missing persons was underway. Noting that rehabilitation work was being carried out in Buner, Bajaur and Battagram, the NDMA chief called for evacuation of people from low lying areas.
