Provincial authority says that in the last 48 hours, torrential rain swept away people and resulted in house collapses

At least 12 people were killed, and 18 others injured as downpour battered Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the past 48 hours, sweeping away people, triggering flash floods, and resulting in house collapses across the province, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Tuesday.

The authority revealed that five men, five minors and two women lost their lives during the last two days, while 10 men, four minors and four women were injured during the same period.

It further said that 18 houses were damaged by the heavy downpour and consequent flash floods. Three houses were destroyed, whereas 15 houses suffered partial damage.

According to the PDMA, the incidents were reported from the districts of Peshawar, Nowshera, Khyber, Mardan, Buner, Bajaur, Lower Chitral, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Tor Ghar, Kurram and North Waziristan.

Read: Three killed in Khyber flash floods as monsoon rains sweep through K-P

The K-P authority said it maintained close liaison with Rescue 1122, district administrations and other relevant departments and continued to provide relief operations in the calamity-stricken areas.

PDMA also directed the administrations of the affected districts to ensure prompt distribution of relief supplies to those impacted by the torrential rains.

Despite heavy downpour impacting the province, PDMA asserted that water levels and flows in all rivers and streams were within “normal limits”.

It outlined that the current spell of heavy rain was expected to continue intermittently until July 23 (Thursday) and it had issued alerts to all relevant departments to remain vigilant.

Read more: PMD warns of heavy rain, flash floods and landslides across Pakistan from July 18-25

PDMA Director General Arif Ullah Awan urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, refrain from visiting vulnerable tourist destinations, and strictly follow official weather alerts and advisories issued by the government.

He said the PDMA Emergency Operations Centre was fully operational and requested the citizens to report any emergency or incidents for immediate relief response.

Awan underscored that the authority’s toll-free helpline could also be used to get fresh weather forecasts and other related information.

K-P government mulls buying helicopters, drones for rescue

Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Alam Afridi on Tuesday told the K-P assembly that the government had decided to purchase helicopters for rescue operations.

Addressing the session of the provincial assembly, the law minister asserted that the government was procuring two helicopters for rescue operations and a summary seeking approval for the purchase had been forwarded to the chief minister.

During the assembly proceedings, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati recalled that the government had decided to buy drones for rescue missions in the past and questioned whether those had been procured.

"If not, why were these not purchased?" Swati asked on the assembly floor.

K-P Assembly speaker also sought replies from the government if they lacked financial resources disabling them from purchasing helicopters.

The recent rescue mission undertaken in Kalam was also discussed on the floor.

Swati noted that the authorities had to contact the Pakistan Army to evacuate people stranded there.

Building on the discussion, Law Minister Afridi said the authorities rescued two people trapped and wounded in the flash floods in Kalam, whereas the dead bodies of the other two had also been recovered.

He noted that the affectees in Kalam were "all non-residents".

NDMA monsoon damage report, PMD weather warning

According to the National Disaster Management Authority's (NDMA's) report released last week, at least 38 people have been killed and 120 injured since the onset of the monsoon season on June 26, with K-P recording the highest death toll of 23.

The NDMA said house collapses remained the leading cause of monsoon-related deaths, accounting for 65.8% of all fatalities. Lightning strikes were responsible for 15.8% of deaths, followed by flash floods at 7.9%. Incidents involving solar panels and drowning each accounted for 2.6% of fatalities, while falling trees and electrocution were responsible for 2.6% each.

Meanwhile, the PMD warned that monsoon activity was expected to intensify across large parts of the country from July 18, with widespread rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms forecast through July 25, raising the risk of flash floods, urban flooding, and landslides.

The PMD said that windstorms and lightning "may damage weak structures (solar panels, electric poles, billboards, etc.)" during the forecast period. It also cautioned that landslides could occur in vulnerable areas of upper K-P, Murree, Galiyat, and Kashmir, while flash flooding is likely in local streams and nullahs across K-P, northeastern Punjab, Islamabad, G-B, the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, and northeastern Balochistan during periods of heavy rainfall.