25 killed as heavy rains hit Pakistan
June 12, 2023
Online desk: At least 25 were killed and 145 others were reported injured as heavy rain swept through Pakistan’s northwest that caused several houses to collapse.
According to the authorities, rains and hail hit the Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Karak districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province uprooting trees and knocking down electrical transmitters towers.
Efforts are on to provide emergency relief
Senior rescue officer Khateer Ahmed informed that efforts are going on to provide emergency relief to the injured. As per the reports, monsoon rains and flooding devasted Pakistan last year that killed more than 1,700 people and affecting over 33 million people. Moreover, it caused nearly 8 million people to displace.
Government allocated USD 1.3 billion for climate resilience
As per a report of PTI, the government in its national budget draft presented Friday allocated USD 1.3 billion for climate resilience to mitigate the effects of natural disasters.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of life. He also asked the authorities to pick up the pace of the relief operation.
Taking cognisance of the approaching cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ which is likely to turn into an ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’, Sharif directed officials to put in place emergency measures in advance. The “severe and intense” cyclone with wind speeds of 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour) was on a course toward the country’s south, Pakistan’s disaster management agency said.
