6 dead as rain-related incidents continue to take lives in KP

Six people, including five members of the same family, lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds, continued to sweep across the province, causing damage to two houses in separate rain-related incidents.

KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Spokesperson Anwar Shahzada told Dawn.com that heavy rain accompanied by strong winds started on Friday morning and continued for a second consecutive day.

Shahzada said that a house had collapsed in the Charsada district due to heavy rainfall where five people from one family died. Their bodies were retrieved by Rescue 1122 and shifted to a nearby hospital on Friday night.

The PDMA official said three children, a woman and her husband were among the deceased in the Turangzai area of Charsadda district, adding that a man was killed in a separate incident on the same night after being struck by lightning in Upper Dir.

The PDMA official added that two houses were also damaged in the rain and the district administration was asked to be alert to cope with any kinds of emergencies as more rains were expected.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the death of five family members in Turangzai and prayed for the departed souls.

The governor also directed authorities to start relief work and provide assistance to the bereaved family.

Separately, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also expressed grief over the death of the family members and prayed for the deceased.

According to the PDMA statistics, 107 people have lost lives and 146 were wounded from July 1 till September 14, whereas 977 houses were damaged as a result of heavy rains, landslides and flash floods in the province.

The PDMA officials also advised tourists and local people to avoid unnecessary travel in the current weather conditions to avoid any untoward incidents.