ISLAMABAD: The ongoing rains across the country claimed 19 more lives on Friday, taking the death toll to 70.
More than 110 people have also been injured in the rain-related incidents since the monsoon spell started in the country, while at least 92 houses have been damaged.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 11 deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including one woman and six children. Besides, six deaths were reported from Sindh, including three children. In Balochistan, the NDMA has reported 18 deaths including four women and three children. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir and FATA, a total of five deaths were reported so far, including four children.
Due to heavy rains in district Gujrat, a portion of bridge on Gujrat to Kurrianwala Road has been damaged. A bailey bridge has been installed and the road link has been restored for traffic.
Gilgit-Skardu Road (S-1) had been blocked at eleven locations due to landslides. Five of the road blocks have already been cleared while work on remaining locations was underway. Reports received from Charsadda and Muzaffarabad said that rainwater entered many houses and public buildings there. Rain destroyed fruit crops in North Waziristan. In Zhob, Loralai, Kohlu, Barkhan and the Koh-i-Suleiman region, the rains produced flash floods. The rainwater washed away a dual carriageway in Musakhel region. All other roads across the country were clear for all types of traffic.
Significant rainfall was reported during the last 24 hours in Palandri, 53mm; Parachinar, 30mm; Kallar, 28mm and Mithi, 21mm.
With heavy monsoon rain continuing to pound north Punjab, upper parts of the country and Azad Kashmir, the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said a well-marked low pressure spotted over Andhra Pradesh, India, would likely generate rain also over lower Sindh and Balochistan from Saturday to Monday.
The monsoonal low pressure will be the third one to hit Pakistan in the season. The second, and the current, system has already produced heavy to very heavy rain in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Though weakened a bit, the system produced rain-thunderstorm at a number of places in Punjab, the Islamabad Capital Territory, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. It also rained in Karachi and parts of Balochistan.
Published in Daily Times, July 15th , 2017.
