Saturday, August 7, 2010

Rains hamper relief work in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

A senior military commander said on Friday that the worst flood in the country’s history had left 1,400 people dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Over 100,000 people are still stranded in the northern districts of the province and bad weather and heavy to moderate rains are hampering relief work.

According to official estimates, over 4.2 million people have been affected by rains and flood.

Talking to reporters, Peshawar GOC Maj-Gen Ghayyur Mahmood said that relief operation and rehabilitation work were in progress in different parts of the province, particularly in Malakand division where floods had washed away the entire infrastructure.

He said that the flood damaged 35 kilometres of roads in Swat and work was in progress to repair bridges and link roads. He said that all damaged bridges were likely to be restored in two weeks.

He said the US would provide 30 steel bridges and UK 66 that would help to restore communication in the hilly areas.

The Met office said that Cherat in Nowshera district received 80mm of rain in 12 hours. Peshawar and other parts of the province also received light to heavy rains.

Helicopter service remained suspended in Malakand because of inclement weather.

Seven people were killed and several houses destroyed in Dera Ismail Khan. Hill torrents caused devastations in Peharpur, Draban, Kulachi and Perawa tehsils of the district.

Flash floods washed away 40 houses in Chitral district.

Local authorities had issued timely warning and residents had vacated their homes due to which there was no human loss in the area.

Meanwhile, Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that death toll had reached 919 and the number could rise.

He said that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority and other departments were compiling data about human losses and property destruction.

He said the floods had washed away 169 educational institutions, 38 health centres and 187 other government buildings. Besides, 307 drinking water supply schemes have been destroyed.

He said the Frontier Works Organisation, a subsidiary of the army, was carrying out a survey of damaged bridges and roads.The Saudi government has announced donations for flood-affected people and a cargo plane carrying eight tons of food and other items have landed at the Peshawar airport.

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