New waves of flash flood wreak havoc in KP, South Punjab as 23 Sindh districts declared calamity-hit

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

A new monsoon spell that began Tuesday has created fresh flash floods in Khyber Pakthunkhwa’s Swat valley, Dir, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and South Waziristan and South Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts.

Meanwhile, at least 23 of 30 districts in Sindh province have been declared calamity hit. The Nawab Shah airport was closed after the airfield disappeared in the floodwater.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has postponed local government elections in Karachi a day after a similar decision was announced for Hyderabad Division.

Most of the flash floods are centered around the part of the Sulaiman Moutain range that falls in Pakistan and extends from the northern part of Balochistan province to southwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab, specifically Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.

The new monsoon spell, which the Met Office says will last from Wednesday, August 23 to Friday, August 26, has lashed several regions from Gilgit Baltistan to Hyderabad in Sindh.

Swat and Dir

In Hindu Kash range’s Swat Valley and Dir, the Swat River overflowed at Mingora, the largest city of the valley, and water gushed into populated areas. Police and rescue workers carried school children on their shoulders to evacuate them to safer places, SAMAA TV reported.

In the adjoining district of Upper Dir, five children were swept away by a flood wave in the Shal Talu area. The bodies of three children were found later while rescuers continued to search for the remaining two children.

People in Swat and Dir are relocating to safer places.

DI Khan, Tank, North Waziristan

Dera Ismail Khan and Tank were hit by flash floods emanating from the Sulaiman Mountains.

A big flood wave inundated several villages and flooded a power station in Tank after sweeping through the South Waziristan district.

A more powerful flood wave was passing through Dera Ismail Khan, where local authorities ordered people to take precautions.

South Punjab

On the eastern side of the Sulaiman Moutain, Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts have been hit by fresh flash floods. Hundreds of small villages have been inundated and their land links with nearby cities have been cut off, SAMAA TV reported.

Faced with food shortages, people are wading through flood water in search of dry and safer places.

In Rajanpur’s Basti Lohar, a flood wave swept away protection dykes while the National Highway was washed away at Kotla Esan in Rajanpur.

The new monsoon spell exacerbated the woes of flood victims who had taken shelter at Nawa Miran.

People had to use ropes to transfer the sick across the bridge by tying them to the Charpoi.

Rescuers from the Pakistan Army arrived in the region using helicopters. They have also delivered food and other essential items to flood victims

Sindh districts declared calamity hit

The Sindh Government has declared 23 of the total 30 districts of the province calamity-hit due to incessant monsoon rains and floods.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that over 300 people had been killed in the province and 10 million were rendered homeless.

High flood at Guddu, Sukkur barrages

The provincial authorities have said that there are high levels of floods at the Guddu and Sukkur barrages.

After the incessant rains, many villages of Naushahro Feroze are inundated. Thousands of people have been forced to migrate and take shelter as flood waters entered their homes.

Nine more people were killed in roof and wall collapse incidents in Jacobabad.

In Sajawal, two people were killed due to a lightning strike. In Khairpur, a child drowned in flood waters.

The crack in Nara Valley Drain in Johi near Dadu could not be repaired even after two days.

Hundreds of houses have been severely damaged due to non-stop rains in the areas, while hundreds of acres of agricultural land in Tando Allahyar are inundated.

Sindh govt seeks army deployment

The Sindh government has written to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Army, requesting the deployment of army contingents to expedite the relief work.

They requested the NDMA and army to assist Provincial Disaster Management Authority in relief activities.

Following the request, army teams reached Matiari. They also surveyed flood-affected areas and review the relief work.

Nawabshah Airport closed

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended operations at Nawabshah Airport following the extraordinary rains.

The CAA said that the airfield is currently unusable as it is submerged under water.

Initially, the runway will remain closed till August 26, the CAA said.

Multan Airport will be used as an alternative, they said.

Rain lashes Karachi, likely to continue till Thursday

As predicted by the Met department, the latest spell of monsoon rains hit Karachi Wednesday.

Malir, Model Colony, Saudabad, Khokhrapar, Federal B Area, Nazimabad, SITE, Saddar, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Korangi, Shah Faisal, Sharae Faysal, University Road. Gulistan-e-Johar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Orangi received rains since morning.

The latest spell of downpour is likely to continue till Thursday.

Education institute in Sindh closed for two days

The Sindh government announced a two-day holiday for schools and colleges on August 24 and 25 as a new rain spell began in the province.

Sindh High Education Commission announced closing universities.

The new spell of rains will last until Friday, August 26, the Met office said.

Karachi Board of Intermediate Education also postponed all the exams scheduled for August 24 and 25.

Five more killed in Balochistan

Five more people were killed during the recent flood and rain-related incidents in Balochistan, taking the death toll to 230.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more rains from today as fifth monsoon spell enters the province.

The met department said that many districts including the provincial capital Quetta to receive rains from Wednesday. This could lead to floods downstream.