Six killed, 19 injured in rain, flash floods

PESHAWAR: At least six people, including three children and a woman, were killed and 19 others injured in separate incidents caused by heavy rain, strong winds and flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority. The PDMA report said six people have died after roofs and walls collapsed during heavy rain and storms. In a separate incident in Landi Kotal, two young men were killed when lightning struck the area. The PDMA said 38 houses were damaged, including 36 that sustained partial damage and two that were destroyed, adding that the incidents were reported in the districts of Khyber, Lower Dir, Mardan, Shangla, Bajaur, Lower Chitral and Upper Dir. The authority said it was coordinating with Rescue 1122, district administrations and other relevant departments, with relief operations continuing in the affected areas, directing district administrations to provide relief supplies to affected families, accelerate relief efforts and ensure immediate assistance for victims. The director general of the PDMA urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from vulnerable tourist destinations and follow official alerts and advisories. The authority said its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) remained fully operational and advised the public to report emergencies and obtain weather information through its toll-free Helpline, 1700. The rain and flood-related incidents were reported from the districts of Khyber, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Mardan, Shangla, Bajaur, and Lower Chitral. In the Khyber district, a fatal lightning strike during a heavy thunderstorm killed two children and injured three others, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). In Upper Dir’s Wari area, lightning struck an educational institution in the Asori Dara region, injuring 15 female students. Further rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning is also expected in upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as the monsoon system continues to affect large areas of the country. Monsoon rains that fall across the region from June to September are crucial to replenishing water supplies. However, heavy downpours also trigger deadly floods and landslides, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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