Tariq Saeed Peshawar
As the heavy snow fall and torrential rains coupled with floods and land sliding continued playing havoc in parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, around three dozen people were reported killed and scores others injured seriously during the last five days.
The Malakand, Chitral, Dir, Mohmand, Bannu, Kohistan districts and Hazara remained hard hit where the major roads were closed, hundreds of houses were damaged and daily life came to standstill in many cities and education activities also remained suspended.
According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority officials, at least 35 people, mostly children, were reported killed in rain related incidents, mainly the collapse of houses across the province. As many as 43 people also sustained serious injuries during this period and were admitted to hospitals in various cities.
Around fifty houses, as the officials said, were destroyed completely and 450 houses damaged partially during the last five days leading to deaths and injuries to many people in different cities of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The district administrations of the affected cities have been taking all out efforts to ensure best rescue and rehabilitation activities in their respective areas and measures were being taken to clear the major roads and links that received heavy snowfall. The tourism activities also came to stand still as heavy snowfall blocked all roads to the scenic spots including Malam Jabba, Kalam and Chitral where the tourists were also advised to avoid visiting till the time all roads were cleared.
According to PDMA on the directives of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa every efforts were being made to help the affected people dispatch of food packages, as well as medicines, tents, blankets, gas cylinders, water coolers, hygiene kits and sandbags, etc. continued till date.
Apart from that distribution of cheques among the affected people has also been started with the rescue 1122 and other departments concerned directed to remain alert in the wake of more rains and snowfall forecaste in the days to come.
