The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday reported the nationwide death toll from rain-related incidents has reached 695, as parts of Pakistan’s northern areas continue to reel from cloudbursts.
In its latest situation report, the NDMA said the 695 deaths comprised 426 men, 96 women, and 173 children. Of the total figure, 164 have been attributed to Punjab; 425 Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; 29 Sindh; 22 Balochistan; 32 Gilgit-Baltistan; 15 Azad Jammu and Kashmir; and eight Islamabad. In the past 24 hours alone, KP has reported 33 additional deaths, with fears rising of a higher toll amidst reports of dozens of unaccounted people. Of the deaths in KP, 341 have been reported since Friday.
According to the NDMA, 958 people have been injured nationwide during this year’s monsoon, starting from June 26 and through Aug. 19. These comprise 464 men, 237 women and 257 children. It said 2,707 houses had been damaged, while 1,023 livestock had perished.
Fresh spell of rains
A renewed spell of monsoon rains has led to widespread reports of devastation from across KP, including capital Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and Abbottabad. In Swabi, according to local administration, at least 17 people died on Monday as a cloudburst triggered flash floods that swept away residents and travelers, along with their vehicles. Landslides have blocked roads, with locals issuing pleas for air evacuation of the injured.
In Mardan, large neighborhoods have been submerged, while multiple areas of Abbottabad are flooded and Galiyat is suffering from landslides. Buner, which has suffered the brunt of the current spell of rains, entire buildings have been washed away and rescue operations hampered by the ongoing deluge.
More rains
The latest monsoon wave has also struck Punjab, submerging low-lying areas of Chakwal and Kallar Kahar, as well as Khushab and Rajanpur. Authorities have issued a flood advisory for Dera Ghazi Khan.
As part of compensation for affected people, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced donations from salaries, allocating one month’s pay from himself; 15 days from cabinet members; seven days from provincial lawmakers; two days from officers of grade 17 and above; and one day from lower staff.
The federal government, meanwhile, ordered ministers to reach affected areas of KP, AJK and GB within 24 hours to monitor relief operations. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik said the center would work with provincial governments without discrimination and promised all roads would reopen within 24 hours.
He called for evacuations from areas lying in stormwater paths, stressing these were torrents, not streams. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the prime minister had declared rehabilitation of flood victims a national duty, adding the country would overcome this calamity together.
Similar to Gandapur, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the donation of one month’s salary from the federal cabinet to aid relief efforts.
Chairing a meeting to review ongoing relief efforts by the federal government in flood-affected areas of KP, GB, and AJK, the prime minister directed the federal institutions to intensify efforts to assist rain and flood-affected people in various districts of KP. “In this hour of calamity, there is no federal or provincial government; we must ensure the assistance and rehabilitation of affected people,” the prime minister said. “Helping our distressed Pakistani brothers and sisters is our national responsibility,” he added.