PESHAWAR: Three persons were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy downpour lashed parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the adjoining tribal region on Wednesday.

The torrential rains triggered landslides in tourist resorts of Kaghan and Naran, stranding tourists.

In a statement issued here, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said two people drowned when a vehicle passing through a flooded road fell into the Indus River in Kundi Soka area of Haripur. Search for the drowned persons was underway.

The statement said all rivers and streams in the province were flowing normally.

According to political administration and locals in Bajaur Agency, a girl identified as Safia Bibi was killed when house of Javid Khan collapsed due to heavy rain in the hilly Kaga area in Warh Mamond tehsil near the Pak-Afghan border, adds our correspondent.

The rains also damaged standing crops and vegetables in some areas.

Saz Mohammad Khan, political tehsildar of Warh Mamond, told reporters most damages were reported in Kaga, Bandari and Kalpani localities. He said 70 houses, seven shops, a mosque, a small bridge, and several link roads were damaged in the rain and floods.

Floods caused by heavy rain blocked several roads, while floodwater entered houses in low lying areas, troubling residents, our correspondent in Swabi adds.

The heavy downpour also suspended power supply to a number of localities, which was yet to be restored. Pesco said its workers were repairing the damaged lines.

The rain also caused damage to standing crops, with tobacco growers being unable to take their crop to auction points due to closure of roads. Traffic also remained suspended on the flooded Kotha causeway.

In Mansehra, tourists remained stranded in Kaghan valley for over 14 hours after landslides triggered by torrential rains blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road.

The rain, which started at about 9pm on Tuesday night continued intermittently till 11am on Wednesday. Balakot-Naran stretch of the road, which was also blocked, was reopened to traffic on Wednesday.

Kaghan police did not allow vehicles of tourists to leave Naran in the morning because of landslide and they were allowed when the road was cleared of landslide.

Our correspondent in Lakki Marwat said the district disaster management unit had decided to form early warning committees in vulnerable areas to prevent losses to life and property caused by torrential rains.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at the district headquarters complex Tajazai on Wednesday. These bodies would consist of revenue officials, schoolteachers, local bodies’ representatives, prayer leaders and elders.

The committees will be in close contact with district control room established at the deputy commissioner office to get updates on rain forecast and flood situation. They will also coordinate with relevant stakeholders to launch rescue and relief works in case flood caused damage in vulnerable areas.

The meeting also decided to purchase dewatering pumps along with sucking and delivery pipes and 50,000 sand bags as part of preventive measures to control losses of flashfloods during monsoon.

In Shangla, several link roads were blocked due to landslides and overflowing water as heavy downpour lashed the district on Tuesday and Wednesday.

People living along the Indus River told Dawn water flow had increased in the river which might trigger floods.

Meanwhile, Fata Disaster Management Authority has directed the political administrations in all tribal agencies to take precautionary measures to avoid loss of life in case of floods.

In a statement issued in Peshawar on Wednesday, the authority said Rs5 million had been released to every political agent for relief operations.

The statement asked the recently returned displaced families to vacate dilapidated mud houses and move to safe places.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2017