Pakistan: Seven people killed as rains, windstorm wreak havoc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Islamabad, June 19 (IANS) As many as seven people were killed and eight others were injured after heavy rains and windstorm lashed several parts of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local media reported on Friday.
Roofs and walls of several houses and shops collapsed after windstorm and torrential rain lashed Paharpur city and surrounding villages of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan on Thursday. Rescue teams and local conducted relief operation to find victims from rubble and took the injured people to hospitals, Pakistan’s daily Dawn reported.
The deceased included a man from Paharpur, a man from Chah Dyal Bagwani and two women from Zandar village. An injured man was identified as Ahmed Ali while identities of the remaining people were yet to be confirmed.
Several trees in the tehsil were uprooted due to powerful winds while solar panels on houses and commercial buildings were blown away. Several animals were killed after a boundary wall and the livestock shelter collapsed in one suburban locality.
Electricity distribution network also suffered damage due to windstorm, disrupting supply of electricity in several parts of Paharpur and its nearby areas. Restoration work could not start immediately due to hazardous conditions and damage to infrastructure.
A total of three people were killed and four others were injured due to lightning in Orakzai tribal district on Thursday. A Rescue 1122 official said that three people were killed and four others were injured in an incident that took place in Sam Ferozkhel area of lower Orakzai, Dawn reported.
Power supply was disrupted and boundary wall of a government school in War Mamund tehsil of Bajaur tribal district collapsed due to the windstorm.
Earlier this month, a report detailed that the latest spell of storms in Pakistan, despite being predicted in advance have once again exposed the gap between preparedness and response. The recurrence of disruption under predictable conditions showcases a cycle that will continue to occur without meaningful intervention.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had predicted the latest spell of rains and thunderstorms in advance and placed several regions on alert. Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan were all classified as vulnerable zones between April 12 and 17. The warnings were issued timely and were district specific, yet the disruptions that followed showcases that only the presence of information cannot translate it into preparedness, according to the report.
Vulnerable areas, including areas like Chitral and Swat and densely populated regions like Lahore and Rawalpindi, were identified well in advance. These predictions provide information about expected rainfall intensity, wind patterns, and potential hazards and allow authorities to mobilise resources, coordinate responses, and mitigate risks before they materialise. However, the recurring disruption in Pakistan caused by seasonal storms suggests that these opportunities are not being fully used. The agencies issue warning, but there is absence of timely and effective action, as per the report.
“Pakistan’s experience with seasonal storms illustrates a broader challenge in governance: the ability to translate information into action. The forecasts are increasingly precise, the risks are well understood, and the institutional frameworks are in place. Yet the outcomes remain largely unchanged,” the report in ETruth MV stated.
“The latest spell of storms, despite being clearly anticipated, has once again exposed the gap between preparedness and response. The recurrence of disruption under predictable conditions highlights a cycle that continues without meaningful interruption. As the country moves through another season of weather-related challenges, the pattern remains consistent. Warnings are issued, impacts follow, and the underlying issues persist—unchanged, unaddressed, and increasingly difficult to ignore,” it added.
–IANS
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