In a series of unfortunate events, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed at least 17 fatalities and 23 injuries due to accidents and landslides. The toll included the partial destruction of 13 houses and the complete obliteration of 21 houses, as reported by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Ongoing relief operations are striving to address the repercussions in the affected districts, with focused efforts to reopen snow-blocked and landslide-affected roads.
Amid heavy snowfall in Malm Jabba, six tourists found themselves in peril, prompting swift action from the District Administration and Rescue 1122. Acting on the special instructions of the Director General of PDMA, the rescue teams successfully evacuated the stranded tourists, ensuring their safety.
Also Read: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Financial Struggle: Urgent Need for Federal Cooperation
The devastating impact of rains in Bajaur resulted in multiple incidents. Roofs collapsed at various locations, causing injuries to five individuals. Tragically, three children lost their lives when a roof caved in in the Ghakhi area of Mamund Tehsil.
Additionally, two children were killed, and two women sustained injuries in Arang Badu Tehsil. Another incident in Mokha area of Mamond Tehsil left a girl, Nada Waleed Faqir, injured after a roof collapse.
A separate incident in the headquarters Khar resulted in one person being injured due to a collapsed roof. Newly elected MPA Dr. Hameed-ur-Rehman expressed deep regret over the incidents and mobilized rescue teams led by the Tehsildar.
Dr. Hameed announced financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh per person for the heirs of the victims, and former MPA Siraj-Ud-Din Khan pledged an additional Rs 1 lakh. The district administration formed assessment committees to estimate the damage caused by the rainfall across the district.
The upper reaches, including Upper Dir's Lowari, Thal Kumrat, and Doag Dara areas, witnessed three to four feet of heavy snowfall, resulting in road closures and power outages. The Lowari Tunnel, buried under more than four feet of snow, led to the complete closure of traffic between Chitral and Dir. Passengers and tourists were advised against travel until snow removal to prevent untoward incidents.
Residents in areas such as Doag Dara, Doag Upper, Babozo, Badree, Panah Ghar, and others faced severe difficulties due to the closure of connecting roads, with over three feet of snow locking them in their homes.
Partial restoration of traffic on the Patrak road from Sheringal was reported, but heavy snowfall continued to impact roads and traffic. The closure of educational institutions was announced in anticipation of continued challenges. The closure of roads in Upper Barawal, including Ben Dara, Shingara, and others, added to transportation difficulties, with locals grappling with the closure of contact roads
