The latest spell of heavy rain and flooding across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have wreaked havoc, causing the tragic loss of approximately 15 lives within 48 hours across several districts within these provinces.
Pakpattan was especially hit hard with electrocution incidents reportedly causing the demise of at least three individuals.
In the Sikandar Chowk neighbourhood, a two-year-old child named Ayesha tragically lost her life instantly when she came into contact with an electrical wire. Similarly, two residents, Waqas of Purani Sabzi Mandi and Ramzan of Arifawala, were electrocuted while bathing.
The Harrowing Consequences in KP
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts of Mansehra and Chitral, the storm left behind a trail of destruction, causing five fatalities and injuring more than a dozen individuals. Houses and infrastructure were washed away, leaving many displaced and roads inaccessible.
Hafeezur Rehman, the director of Rescue 1122 in Mansehra, shared about the catastrophic impact of the flooding caused by the heavy rainfall. Over a dozen injuries were reported, and numerous homes were left in ruins. Several key roads in the district were blocked, complicating rescue and recovery efforts.
Tragedy struck the Afghan national Samiullah’s family when their house in the Thakra area collapsed, resulting in the loss of his wife and son, while others were hospitalized. Other unfortunate incidents unfolded in the Dehri neighbourhood of Shinkiari and Lohar Banda, leading to fatalities and hospitalizations.
The heavy rain also caused an unidentified person to drown in the Chitta Batta region, and floodwaters swept away two pickup trucks in the Dugai stream in Oghi, Mansehra. Hundreds of travellers were stranded on both sides of the road when last year’s flood washed away an incomplete bridge.
Torrential rainfall-induced flash floods in Chitral, destroying over half a kilometre of the Chitral-Shandur Road, cutting off land connections between the Lower and Upper Chitral districts. Floodwater in the Chitral River inundated the Gangoreni Hydel Powerhouse, causing damage to the Chitral City powerhouse and nearby residential areas.
The floodwaters caused widespread damage in Chitral, affecting historic sites like Shahi Qilla and a central hotel. It also devastated several homes and standing crops in the city’s Ochusht neighbourhood and Ayun Town, as well as in the Kalash and Rambur valleys.
Chitral Muhammad Ali, the deputy commissioner, confirmed the severed land communication with Upper Chitral and assured that the district administration had dispatched rescue teams to the affected regions. Despite the extensive damage to the infrastructure, no fatalities have been reported in Chitral so far.
With the meteorological department forecasting more heavy rainfall across the Hazara division from July 22 to 26, tense anticipation pervades the region.
