The nationwide death toll from rain-related incidents on Sunday climbed to 657, the majority in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as Pakistan’s northern areas suffered wide-scale destruction and loss of life due to the torrential rainfall of the past week.
In its latest situation report, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said this year’s monsoon had claimed 657 lives—164 from Punjab; 390 Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; 28 Sindh; 20 Balochistan; 32 Gilgit-Baltistan; 15 Azad Jammu and Kashmir; and eight from Islamabad. It said the deaths comprised 392 men, 94 women, and 171 children.
Buner district is the worst-hit, with at least 209 deaths reported.
Additionally, 929 injuries have been reported through Aug. 17, including 437 men and 256 children. The rains and floods have damaged 2,462 houses and swept away 999 livestock, with the bulk in the country’s northern areas. Authorities have thus far undertaken 396 rescue operations, including 141 in Punjab and 211 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while 456 relief and medical camps have been established.
Massive destruction
Addressing a press conference on the unfolding disaster, Adviser to the KP C.M. on Information Muhammad Ali Saif commended Rescue 1122 for its timely response, stressing on the need for the public to take note of the flood situation.
“Pakistan Army has handed over five helicopters to the provincial government,” he said, while appreciating opposition parties for not “playing politics” on the matter. However, he lamented that the federal government and Punjab had yet to provide “significant support.”
Also on Sunday, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur visited the flood-affected areas of Buner and received a briefing on the destruction caused by the flooding and ongoing rescue efforts. According to a statement, the chief minister was informed that last week’s cloudburst had damaged at least 5,380 houses across seven village councils in Buner, resulting in at least 209 deaths, 159 injuries, and 134 missing persons.
The statement said three Army battalions and 300 civil defense volunteers were engaged in rescue operations and providing food, tents and blankets to the affected people. It said around 3,500 people had been safely rescued thus far. Gandapur said the provincial government had released Rs. 1.5 billion for relief efforts and thanked the prime minister and all chief ministers for “standing shoulder-to-shoulder” with the province during its time of need.
Later, addressing media, the chief minister regretted that the government could not compensate for the loss of life, but vowed it would compensate financial losses. “The provincial government has the resources to compensate for the losses 100%. No one has ever compensated for the losses 100%, but we will,” he claimed.
To a question, Gandapur blamed encroachments, lack of nullahs’ cleaning, and non-implementation of court orders to remove illegal markets for the situation. He claimed that a court order had prevented the government from demolishing a market in Buner, adding the damage might have been reduced if it were removed earlier.
Despite the assurances of support, flood victims in Swat staged a protest on Sunday, claiming they had not received any relief despite the passage of three days since the disaster.
Ongoing efforts
Separately, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik told a press conference that rehabilitation work is ongoing in Buner, Bajaur and Battagram. Calling for the evacuation of people from low-lying areas, he attributed the destruction in KP to climate change.
He announced that the disaster management body would focus on north Punjab, AJK and GB for the next two weeks, as forecasts indicate another monsoon spell after Aug. 22.
“Three more rain spells are moving towards Pakistan,” said NDMA Technical Expert Tayyab Shah, adding a system moving toward Pakistan from Afghanistan had placed northern areas and Punjab at high risk.
More rains
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more torrential rains across the country this week. “Strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are continuously penetrating into the country. Low Pressure System over the Bay of Bengal is likely to move westward from Aug. 17 and intensify this monsoon activity,” it said in an advisory, adding a westerly wave was present over the country under the influence of these meteorological conditions.
According to the PMD, 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 through Aug. 19.
Widespread rain-wind/thundershower (with scattered heavy falls at times very heavy) is expected in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore and Kasur until Aug. 19.
Rains are also expected in Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Mianwali, Khushab, Sargodha, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad and Sahiwal, while scattered rain-wind/thundershower (with isolated heavy falls) is also likely in DG Khan, Bhakkar, Layyah, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rajanpur and Rahimyar Khan from Aug. 18-20.