9 killed amid heavy rain in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; emergency declared in Chitral

At least nine people were killed amid heavy rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the last 24 hours while an emergency was declared in the province's Lower and Upper Chitral districts till 15 August.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, several areas of the country are likely to continue to receive rain until 26 July.

Heavy rain with strong winds and thunderstorms lashed parts of the province on Saturday, triggering landslides and destroying infrastructure, reports the Dawn.

The rain continued throughout the day, resulting in large-scale devastation and triggered flash floods in Chitral.

According to the KP's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), nine people had died over the last 24 hours, including two in Swat, two in Battagram, four in Mansehra and one in Buner.

The report further said seven people had been injured, including three in Swat, three in Battagram and one in Mansehra.

The PDMA said nine houses had been fully damaged while 67 were partially damaged.

Separately, a notification issued by the Pakistani Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department said the deputy commissioners of both districts had requested for an "emergency" to be declared in order to enable them to "launch immediate rescue and relief activities".

Therefore, the provincial government declared a rain emergency in the two districts with immediate effect, adding that it would remain in place till August 15 "for provision of relief [and] restoration of damaged communication network and water supply".

Meanwhile, KP Interim Chief Minister Mohammad Azam Khan directed the relief department and the district administration to remain on "high alert".

He directed authorities to immediately launch relief and rescue activities and to ensure that aid was provided to the affectees.

The chief minister also ordered for the affected people to be moved to safer locations and asserted that the provincial government would help them "in every possible way".

Separately, four people of the same family lost their lives while one was injured in a landslide in Gilgit Baltistan's Skardu district, police said.

Meanwhile, following rainfall in several areas of Balochistan, the PDMA provided relief items to the people in Basima and Patak areas of the province's Washuk district.

Balochistan PDMA Director General (DG) Jahanzeb Khan told Dawn.com that the authority had started relief efforts immediately after receiving directives from Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and provincial Interior Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove.

He elaborated that the relief items contained food, tents, blankets, utensils and other items of need, adding that all the items were handed over to the deputy commissioner of the affected area.

Separately, rainfall in Balochistan's Kacchi district had also led to "very high" flood waters on the Pinjira Causeway, suspending traffic in both directions, National Highway Authority (NHA) General Manager Agha Inayat said.