Rains, floods kill 264 in KP since June 15: PDMA

Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: At least 264 people including 36 women and 106 children have been killed in rains and floods-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 15th June to 29th August, office of the Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) informed on Wednesday.
According to statistics issued by the PDMA, 327 people have been injured during the same period and shifted to local hospitals for treatment by the rescue workers.
The statistics further showed that 156 schools and other educational institutions were damaged in the result of excessive rains and floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including in merged districts.
The calamity also badly hit the livestock sector as 9411 animals reportedly died in the province.
The most affected calamity- hit districts of the province were Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Kohistan where floods and rains inflicted heavy losses on human lives, houses and standing crops.
The DG PDMA, Sharif Hussain talking in this connection said the authority has so far released funds amounting to 850 million rupees for the affected districts since July till date.
Besides, he said for the most affected districts, the authority provided tents, mattresses, edible and other needed items on emergency basis that were distributed among the affectees through the respective district administrations.
Since the first July, the authority has provided 8650 tents, 6850 waterproof canvases, 2800 blankets, 2500 plastic mates, 2550 kitchen sets and 2000 hygiene kits to the affected people.
The relief and rescue activities in affected areas were still underway, the authority said.
DG PDMA said as soon as the emergency situation comes to an end, compensation of losses to the affected people would start.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 159 relief camps have been established of which 77 were set up only in Nowshera district where affectees were being provided food and other necessary items.
In DI Khan 25000 people have been accommodated in 11 big relief camps where all basic needs of life were being provided to them.
In Charsadda, the district administration has set up 17 relief camps while in Dir Upper, seven camps and in Malakand and Mansehra each two camps have been established.
According to DG PDMA Sharif Hussain relief activities were underway in affected areas and the provincial government was utilizing all available resources to provide relief to the people.
The provincial government, he said, has also established multi-purpose flood control rooms and flood reporting mobile application to assist the situation.
He said the PDMA has issued its Whatsapp number e.g. 03164261700 on which any information regarding flood relief activity could be shared adding the toll free number 1700 of the PDMA was also functional round the clock.