The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, reported on 29 July that at least 10 people have died in rain and flood-related incidents over the last few days.
A period of heavy rainfall from 25 July caused buildings to collapse, flash flooding and landslides, affecting 10 districts in the province.
PDMA said that between 25 and 29 July, 10 people died and 29 were injured. Furthermore, 9 houses were destroyed and 16 severely damaged.
Fatalities were reported in the districts of Buner (3 fatalities), Shangla (3), Abbottabad (1), Mansehra (2) and South Waziristan (1). Other districts affected include Charsadda, Bajaur, Upper Dir, Torghar and Kurram.
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood and Disaster Prevention
In early July this year, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) occurred in the remote area of Golen valley in Chitral District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
The flooding swept away roads and bridges, and damaged homes, irrigation channels and crops. However, no fatalities were reported, in part because the communities received early warning of the approaching flood and the event is seen as a major success in disaster prevention.
Pakistan Monsoon 2019
Monsoon rain in Pakistan has taken its toll in other areas of the country as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Twenty-two people are still missing, presumed dead, after a cloudburst caused landslides and flash flooding in the Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, on 15 July, 2019.
Torrential rain in parts of Punjab Province from 15 July caused flooding and houses to collapse.
According to the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), as many as 87 people have now died in Pakistan since the start of this year’s monsoon (01 July, 2019), including 22 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 23 in Punjab Province and 29 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Further heavy rain has been forecast for parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the next few days.
