PESHAWAR: Monsoon rains have claimed 15 lives in the northwestern Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in the last four days, said an official statement released on Tuesday, adding the authorities had released Rs60 million to provide financial compensation to the families of the victims in accordance with the established policy.
Pakistan witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains last year that led to flash floods across the country and killed about 1,700 people. The erratic weather also destroyed houses, crops and public infrastructure in different parts of the country, making the government estimate damages that exceeded beyond $30 billion.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of KP, at least 12 houses were completely destroyed by the recent rains and floods in the province while 83 had been partially damaged.
“Relief activities are ongoing in the districts affected by rains, landslides and floods,” the PDMA relief secretary, Abdul Basit, was quoted as saying in the statement. “The authorities have directed to make immediate payment of relief compensation to victims as per policy.”
“On the instructions of the provincial government, Rs60 million have been released for the areas affected by rains and floods,” he continued.
The PDMA statement informed that several communities in Lower Chitral had been shifted to safer places ahead of more rains and provided dry rations.
Additionally, they have also been given relief equipment, includes tents, plastic mats, kitchen sets, buckets, quilts, mats, tarpaulin sheets and hygiene kits.
The statement informed that solar lights, jerry cans, mosquito nets, soaps, pillows, wheelchairs, stretchers, dewatering pumps and sandbags had also been included in the relief equipment.
