ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP): The torrential monsoon rains across the country on Friday inflicted further lives and property losses as the total death count in various incidents reached 937, while around 1343 individuals’ sustained injuries since the onset of the rainy season.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a 24-hour situation report, accounting overall life, property and infrastructure losses, incurred by the rain-induced floods in various parts of the country.
The heavy downpour caused a roof collapse incident in Balochistan, resulting in the death of four children, including two in Zhob and one each in in Duki and Chaghi.
Three children also got injured in Duki.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, some 13 people perished due to flash floods in various districts including four men in Lower Kohistan, one woman each in Lakki Marwat and Lower Dir, five children in Upper Dir, one child each in Swat and Lower Kohistan.
However, due to roof collapse one man in North Waziristan, one woman in Lakki Marwat and a child passed away in Dera Ismail Khan, whereas seven individuals got injured, including a man in D.I. Khan, a woman and four children in North Waziristan and one man got injured due to flash flood in Lower Kohistan.
In Punjab’s District Rajanpur, a woman died due to drowning in high flow waters.
In Sindh, 13 people perished including two men and two children in Shaheed Benazirabad, two men and a child in Mitiari, a man in Tando Allah Yar, three women in Noushero Feroze and two children in Dadu in various flood-related incidents.
There was no incident or loss reported in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
In Gilgit-Baltistan, three roads were blocked including the Mujawir Road at Ishkoman Immit Valley, Hisper Valley Road and Ahmadabad Valley due to flash floods.
Restoration work was in progress there as heavy machinery and staff was deployed on the site.
In Balochistan, four highways and routes were blocked as the high flow of water blocked the N-25 Quetta-Karachi Highway as it washed away the Lunda Bridge.
Similarly, the M-8 motorway was also blocked due to landsliding also N-50 Zhob-DI Khan and N-70 Loralai-DG Khan highways were also choked and restoration work was in progress on all sites.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two connectivity routes were damaged due to landsliding, including Swat Expressway Palai and Panakot Road where restoration work was underway.
In AJK, the Azad Pattan Road was blocked due to landslide and restoration work was underway as proper machinery and staff were deployed on site.
In Punjab, the N-55 Fazilpur-Rajanpur highway was blocked due to floodwater intrusion where the restoration of the connectivity route was in progress.
The report highlighted that a widespread thunderstorm and rain of heavy to very heavy intensity with extremely heavy falls at isolated places was expected over Sindh, Eastern Balochistan along with Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan Divisions.
It further highlighted that scattered to widespread thunderstorm and rain of moderate to heavy intensity with isolated very heavy falls was expected over the upper catchments of Rivers Kabul and Indus.
Moreover, scattered thunderstorm and rain of moderate intensity was expected over the upper catchments of Rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej along with Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar, Kohat and Bannu Divisions.
It added that isolated thunderstorm and rain was expected over rest of the country except Western Balochistan.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi appealed to the entire nation, overseas Pakistanis and international community to support the flood victims who were in dire need of rescue, relief and rehabilitation as unprecedented rains and floods had destroyed the lives and livelihood of people across Pakistan.
The president, in a statement, called upon all governments and institutions, NGOs and volunteers to offer their expertise and leadership to rescue, evacuate, and rehabilitate the affected people by providing them shelter, food and medical facilities.
The federal government will provide a grant of Rs 15 billion to the Sindh government to overcome the heavy losses of lives and infrastructure in the wake of the massive devastation caused by flash floods.
Talking to reporters flanked by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and federal ministers including Bilawal Bhutto and Syed Khurshid Shah at Sukkur Barrage, the prime minister on Friday said the situation demanded rising above politics and helping the flood victims overcome their miseries.
He also took an aerial view of the inundated areas of Sukkur, Rohri, Khairpur, Faiz Ganj, Kot Diji, and Thari Mir Wah and expressed serious concern over the loss of lives and infrastructure caused by the floods.
He also interacted with members of the diplomatic community in Islamabad to sensitize them about the damages caused by floods across the country.
According to the PM Office, the international organizations and financial institutions had announced an immediate assistance of more than $500 million for the flood victims on the prime minister’s appeal.
The prime minister said considering the urgency of the challenge, the government had decided to reach out to friendly countries and donors.
He said that not just Balochistan, Sindh and South Punjab, which were badly affected, the current spell of torrential rains had led to flooding in the northern regions of the KPK province.
More than 0.1 million rain and flood-hit families have so far received Rs 25 thousands each across the country under financial relief package announced by the federal government.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa also reached Karachi where he was briefed about flood situations of Sindh and Balochistan and response measures to help the flood affected people.
The Army Flood Relief centre has been set up at Headquarters Army Air Defence Command Rawalpindi to oversee, coordinate National Flood Relief efforts across the country in coordination with Military Operations Directorate.
The Flood Relief Centres being established in various parts of the country would assist collection, transportation and distribution of flood relief goods to flood victims in various provinces. The Army troops were shifting people to safer places, providing shelter, meals and busy in medical care to the flood-affected people.
Ministry of Interior has approved the deployment of Pakistan Army in all four provinces to assist the civilian governments keeping in view the emergency situation due to heavy rains and floods.
The summary for deployment of the army under Article 245 of the Constitution was sent to the Federal Cabinet for final approval, said a press release issued here Friday.
The four provincial governments had sent a requisition to the Interior Ministry for deployment of army in the flood-affected areas.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that armed forces were being deployed to assist the civilian government in relief and rescue operations, under Article 245 of the Constitution.
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