Pakistan: 12 members of family killed in roof collapse incident amidst heavy rain
Aug 30, 2024
Upper Dir [Pakistan], August 30 : Twelve members of a single family in Pakistan's Upper Dir died after the roof of their mud house collapsed amidst heavy rainfall, Dawn News reported.
The incident took place in Maidan tehsil in Upper Dir according to the Pakistani news outlet.
As per the spokesperson of rescue authority, Bilal Ahmad Faizi, women and children were among the deceased.
Bodeis retrieved from the debris were transported to Maidan Hospital following a search operation conducted by the district emergency officer.
District Police Officer (DPO) Waqar Ahmed identified the victims as Noshad Khan, Khan Bacha, Wali Rehman, their wives, and their children, who ranged in age from three to 22 years old. This devastating incident highlights the severe impact of the ongoing monsoon season in Pakistan.
Heavy rainfall has affected various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa throughout the month, including the Malakand and Hazara divisions. The increased river flow has caused significant infrastructure damage, including the destruction of the main bridge connecting Mansehra and Naran.
A temporary steel bridge has been installed to maintain connectivity with Babusar. Additionally, landslides have blocked the Karakoram Highway at Diamer, although it has since been reopened, reported Dawn News.
Pakistan's monsoon season, spanning from July to August, typically brings about 255mm of rain each month. The current monsoon has been particularly harsh, with extensive damage reported in previous years.
In 2022, the monsoon caused severe destruction, leaving over 75,000 homes destroyed and 130,000 partially damaged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, according to government and international aid agency figures.
A recent report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), dated August 28, revealed that the ongoing monsoon has resulted in 74 deaths and 128 injuries from July to August 28 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dawn reported.
The report also noted that 906 houses were damaged by rain-related incidents during this period. The province has been grappling with the effects of heavy rains, which have also caused fatalities and injuries in other incidents, including the death of a local government representative and a minor boy in separate rain-related accidents.
