As many as nine people have died and one has been injured in rain-related incidents in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in recent days as the provincial government declared rain emergency in Lower and Upper Chitral till August 15 on Sunday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that as per the reports received so far 67 houses had been partially damaged while seven were completely destroyed due to rains and floods in the province.
Giving further details, it said that 39 and 19 houses were partially damaged in Lower Chitral and Upper Chitral, respectively.
Spokesman for the Relief Department, on the other hand, said that the district administration, PDMA, Rescue1122, Civil Defence, Civil Defence and other concerned departments were on a high alert.
He said that relief items had been provided to those affected by heavy rains and floods in Upper Chitral, while a detailed assessment of losses would be made in Lower Chitral once water receded from the area.
He informed that the people living in vulnerable areas in Lower Chitral had already been moved to safer places.
PDMA said that food items had been provided to the affected households in the area.
The district administration of Chitral said Lower Dir road had been opened for traffic as heavy machinery was being used for the purpose, while Upper Dir road had been partially opened.
PDMA spokesman said that the Authority had sent a letter to all district administrations of the province as well as concerned departments on 17th and 19th of July in which they were asked to take precautionary steps ahead of heavy monsoon showers forecast for the province.
Four members of family die in Skardu:
Four members of the same family were killed while one was injured as a result of a landslide in Skardu.
Sources told 24News that in all, eight members of the family were seated in a car when the calamity struck them.
They said that all other members of the family were safe.
Elaborating further, they said that the car was on its way from Skardu to Gilgit Astore.
KP Governor expresses grief over losses caused by heavy rains, floods in Chitral
KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the losses caused by heavy rains and floods in Chitral and surrounding areas.
The governor advised Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry to ensure all possible assistance to the flood and rain-affected people in Chitral and other regions.
He directed to take prompt actions to address the situation to provide necessary aid to the affected communities.
He also advised the officials concerned for immediate measures to restore the ground route to Upper Chitral.
The governor instructed that no effort should be spared in providing aid to the affected people in the Chitral district and other regions, hit by floods and heavy rains.
Reporters: Amir Shehzad and Faisal Jameel