As per reports, following are the latest updates pertaining to inclement weather conditions and subsequent flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as of Monday (15 April).
• On Monday (15 April), officials informed that another four individuals died in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) while the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) imposed an “urban flood emergency” in Quetta under Section 3 of the Balochistan Natural Calamity (Prevention and Relief Act).
• Continuous heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms have impacted several parts of the country in the past few days, resulting in a total of 39 deaths, out of which 12 occurred on Sunday (14 April): six in KP, four in Punjab and two in Balochistan.
• According to a PDMA report issued on late Sunday (14 April) night, 85 houses were damaged during the past three days, including incidents of wall and roof collapses.
• The report noted that Chitral, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Shangla, Swat, Malakand and Bajaur districts were affected by the rainfall and that there was flooding in various rivers.
• According to a flooding report issued by the Peshawar Irrigation Department’s Flood Cell at 1300 hours, Panjkora River at Dir was witnessing a high-level flow of 64,028 cusecs while the Swat River saw a high-level flow at Khwazakhela and Munda Headworks of 52,291 and 96,000 cusecs, respectively.
• While main and link roads were blocked due to the rainfall, the National Highway Authority (NHA) informed that the Karakoram Highway was open for all traffic. However, tourists/commuters travelling to Swat, Kalam and Kumrat were stranded at multiple locations as the Kalam Road was blocked at various points due to landslides.
• Further, according to a notification issued by the provincial education department, the government ordered all public and private schools across Balochistan to remain closed on Monday (15 April) and Tuesday (16 April).
