Floods cause widespread destruction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan

SHANGLA/QUETTA: Floods have caused significant loss of life, property, and infrastructure across multiple regions of Pakistan, primarily Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Shangla Deputy Commissioner said that 36 people have died and 24 have been injured in the district due to flooding. Seven individuals remain missing after being swept away by floodwaters. Search operations are ongoing.

Also read: Cloudburst: two districts ravaged in just fifteen minutes

Authorities report that 149 families in Shangla have been affected. The floods have damaged 56 schools, two health centers, and disrupted water supply schemes in the area.

Medium and low-level flooding has been recorded in rivers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Water inflow into Tarbela Dam has reached 300,000 cusecs, with an outflow of 255,400 cusecs. At Khairabad, the Indus River is flowing at 325,900 cusecs. The Kabul River has low-level flooding at Warsak and Nowshera, with water flow at Nowshera recorded at 40,980 cusecs.

Relief and rehabilitation efforts are ongoing in flood-affected districts. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Advisor, five helicopters – one operated by the Pakistan Army and four by the provincial government – are involved in rescue and relief operations. Approximately 6,000 personnel have been deployed. So far, 5,210 people have been evacuated to safety.

Barrister Saif, the provincial information adviser, stated that 89 trucks carrying relief supplies have been delivered and Rs 3 billion have been allocated for ongoing efforts.

In Tank, floodwaters have submerged the Gara Baloch bridge, disrupting traffic along the Waziristan Highway. A flood relay near Gara Baloch village has worsened the situation.

A petition has been filed in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) requesting compensation for damages caused by recent cloudbursts and urging the federal and provincial governments, along with the Ministry of Climate Change, to take measures for disaster mitigation. The petition claims a lack of effective awareness campaigns and preventive action.

A report released by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) outlines the loss of life and property caused by recent rains and floods across various districts of the province. The report said that, so far, 358 people have been confirmed dead, including 287 men, 41 women, and 30 children. Additionally, 181 individuals were injured, comprising 144 men, 27 women, and 10 children. The floods have also damaged a total of 780 houses in the province, with 431 partially damaged and 349 completely destroyed.

BALOCHISTAN REELS FROM FLOODS TOO

The Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reports 22 deaths and 11 injuries due to floods. Causes include roof collapses, electrocution, lightning, and vehicles swept away by floodwaters. As per details received so far, four individuals died in Zhob when a vehicle was carried away by floodwaters; three women drowned in a dam during a pilgrimage; two children died from electrocution in Musakhel and Kohlu; two individuals died in separate wall collapses in Lasbela and Loralai; six fatalities were reported in Khuzdar due to wall collapse and flooding; four girls were swept away by floodwaters in Daki; and two children died in a roof collapse in Harnai.

Floods have also damaged 83 houses in Balochistan, out of which 14 are completely destroyed and 69 are partially damaged. Additionally, 357 solar panels and four government buildings have been reportedly damaged by the floodwater.

Also read: Heavy rain plunges Karachi into darkness

The Bibi Nani Bridge on the Sukkur-Quetta National Highway (N-65) was damaged by flooding in the Bolan River, causing a temporary closure. The National Highway Authority (NHA) dispatched teams to the site, and the bridge has since reopened for traffic.

Government agencies continue to assess damage and coordinate ongoing rescue, relief, and infrastructure repair efforts.