820 killed in rains in Pakistan, KP declares emergency in flood-hit districts
Foreign Minister cancels Europe trip, visits flood-affected regions of his hometown
Islamabad: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declared an emergency in flood-hit districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, and Upper Kohistan districts.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed the local authorities to expedite relief and rehabilitation activities and ensure the provision of relief assistance and food items. He said that a relief package would be announced for rehabilitation in the four flood-affected districts. The chief minister also asked the relevant departments to conduct a damage assessment survey.
Power outages due to floods
Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region is facing massive power cuts after flash floods damaged roads and power infrastructure in the mountainous region. Heavy downpour has resulted in more than a hundred flash floods, killing nine people and damaging more than 20 powerhouses In the region, said Kamaluddin Qamar, director-general of the GB Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA).
Foreign Minister cancels foreign trip to visit Larkana
Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has cancelled his four-day (August 22-26) tour of four European countries “in view of calamities across Pakistan caused by the ongoing heavy monsoon rains and flooding, as well as heavy damages to lives and property”, the foreign office said. Bilawal Bhutto called off his visit to Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway and instead visited his hometown of Larkana where the rains have so far killed 26 people. Bilawal expressed grief over the loss of lives due to heavy floods in the area.
More than 25 people were killed in incidents of roof collapse over the last 24 hours as unprecedented rains continued across Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Dadu districts. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the flood situation was far worse this year. “We have witnessed 500 times more rains this year during these four monsoon spells,” he said.
Heavy rains have triggered flash floods across Pakistan in the last two months. At least 820 people have lost their lives and 1315 have been injured across Pakistan since the monsoon season began in mid-June, the National Disaster Management Authority said. Among the killed are at least 304 children.
A total of 225 people lost their lives in the worst-hit province of Balochistan, 231 in Sindh, 166 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 151 in Punjab, 37 in AJK and 9 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy monsoon rains and subsequent floods across the country have destroyed 319,450 houses (224,100 partially and 95,350 fully damaged) and killed some 504,321 livestock.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered to provide 40,000 tents and 100,000 ration packets to the flood-hit people and appealed to philanthropists to generously contribute to the PM’s Flood Relief Fund.
More rains forecast
Pakistan Met Office has forecast more rains in the country during this week from August 23 to August 26 due to a strong weather system. “More rain-wind/thundershower with scattered heavy to very heavy falls is expected in Sindh, south Punjab, south and northeastern Balochistan” from August 23-26. Isolated heavy rainfalls are also expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from August 23 night with occasional gaps.