PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Heavy rainstorm continued to lash different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and according to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), at least 11 people have died and more than 70 injured in the northwestern province.
In a statement, the PDMA Spokesman said that six people lost their lives in the Provincial Capital, two each in Bannu and Mardan while one person died in Nowshera.
The Spokesman said that 47 persons sustained injuries in Peshawar, 13 in Bannu including 4 Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) of tribal region, 5 in Charsadda, 4 in Mardan and 2 in Malakand division.
Likewise, the heavy rain also brought havoc and damaged 4 houses in Peshawar and one each in Bannu and Malakand.
The KPK PDMA Spokesman said that the revenue staff has been directed to collect/verify the damages occurred due to rain/windstorm across the province.
Sources said that the gusty winds uprooted hundreds of trees, brought down the hoardings & pylons, and damaged dozen of vehicles in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Furthermore, sources said that hundreds of power feeders got tripped throughout the province, though some of them have been restored. Eventually, various cities also witnessed power outages.
Meanwhile, the local Met office has predicted thunderstorm rain at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan and Bannu divisions in next couple of hours.
On Thursday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) directed PDMAs for taking all possible precautionary measures to avoid losses in the ongoing pre-monsoon spell.
The authority alerted all the departments concerned to get ready for all kind of situations so that losses to lives and property could be avoided during the pre-monsoon season.
“All rescue and relief agencies, departments are required to be sensitized to remain ready to respond on a short notice,” NDMA said in a letter written to all the concerned.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast more than 20 percent extra downpour this year.
