Heavy rainfall destroys homes, claims at least 17 people in KP
Police say 11 bodies were recovered from the debris of mud and brick houses in the Tor Ghar district, and rescuers were searching for the remaining victims, which included women and children
Torrential monsoon rain and mudslides hit areas in northwestern Pakistan early on Sunday, destroying homes and killing at least 17 people, police said.
Officer Mohammad Nawaz said eleven bodies were recovered from the debris of mud and brick houses in the Tor Ghar district, and rescuers were searching for the remaining victims, which included women and children.
Nawaz said three adjacent homes were completely swept away in remote village of the district, while other houses were less affected. Authorities in the city of Abbotabad said a mudslide in the suburbs also killed a couple and their child, and injured three others.
The country’s disaster management authorities said they were dispatching relief aid to the affected area but mudslides in mountainous areas were delaying delivery. Efforts were underway to clear the roads.
Meanwhile, Khyber-pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the rescue departments and officials of the district administration to reach the affected site at their earliest and begin relief efforts.
Monsoon season lasts until mid-september in Pakistan, and similar incidents are not uncommon.
Recently, at least four people were killed as Karachi received intermitent rain with brief heavy spells, wreaking havoc on the ill-maintained civic infrastructure, fragile transmission and distribution system of the K-electric.
According to the reports, heat-stricken residents of Karachi received a respite from the sweltering heat as the rain turned the weather pleasant but the incompetence of the authorities turned the blessing into disguise as the entire city turned into a pond.
The areas of Ghareebabad, Rizvia Chorangi and Liaquatabad were flooded with rain water while the drainage was nowhere to be seen. Water also accumulated on Defence, Cliton, Shahra-e-faisal and University Road. The highest rainfall of 41mm was recorded at Saadi Town.
However, it is feared of urban flooding due to continuous rain in Karachi.
On the other hand, the torrential rain that followed the heat changed the temperature in the city and reduced the intensity of the heat.
Knee-deep water accumulated in many places, power supply was also suspended in different areas ater the rain.
As per details, a man named Sajid Lodhi, 45-years-old, was electrocuted in Chapal Gali Light House, while Yaseen lost his life ater receiving electric shock in his house located in Baldia’s Abidabad.
A 50-year-old Muhammad Sabir was electrocuted in Liaquatabad and a four-year-old girl named Tania lost her life ater she was electrocuted while playing outside her house in Cliton’s Rasool Shah Colony.
The father of the deceased minor said that the residents informed KE about sparking at electric pole in the area, but the teams did not reach. The body of the girl will be buried at her ancestral area of Bahawalpur, said the mourning father.
Ater the rain, Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited different areas of the city. He reviewed the drainage arrangements in the metropolis and directed the staff to remove water from roads immediately. The port-city received heavy rain, causing problems for the people including power failures, massive traffic jams at various roads, ponds of water at various road arteries and others.
The world’s richest countries have not done enough to combat global warming, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan recently said, adding his country had done more than any other in the world to combat rising emissions relative to its economic means.
“Has the developed world done enough: The answer is no,” Imran said in an interview at his official residence in Islamabad.
“Emissions are from the rich countries. And I think they know they haven’t done enough.”
Under Imran, Pakistan has undertaken a number of restoration projects, including a 10 billion tree-planting drive.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a report that over the last five years Pakistan had experienced an environmental turnaround ater years of decline in its natural capital, but added more needed to be done.