PESHAWAR – Rescue personnel evacuated several people as rain caused flooding in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial capital on Tuesday, while an operation was also carried out in Mohmand district to rescue a group of people stranded in floodwater. The continuing spell of rain over the past few days has claimed several lives in KP, Punjab, and Balochistan.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Dawn that at least 65 people were evacuated from Peshawar’s Sardar Colony on Tuesday due to flooding in Budhni nullah during a heavy downpour in the afternoon. He said that the water level in the nullah had increased, with water entering Sardar Colony.
A flood alert on the Irrigation Department’s X account at around 3:30pm said that discharge in Budhni nullah had increased up to 13,035 cusecs and that it was in high flood.
Ongoing De-watering Operations
In the evening, Rescue 1122 said in a statement that District Emergency Officer Iftikhar Khan was overseeing de-watering operations that were under way since last night in Peshawar’s Shaheen Housing Society, Warsak Road, Budhni Bridge, Sardar Colony, Board Bazaar, Bara Bridge and other areas. It said rainwater had entered houses and neighbourhoods in the city’s Sardar Garhi area, from where rescue personnel had evacuated over 70 people.
At night, an update by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) said 170 feeders had been affected in the city due to continuous rain since Monday night. The statement said 58 of those feeders had been repaired and the remaining 112 would be repaired soon.
Rescue Operation in Mohmand
The Rescue 1122 spokesperson in Mohmand, Abdullah Mohmand, told Dawn that a group of people stranded in flash floodwaters in the Yousaf Khel Wacha Jora area of Haleemzai tehsil were rescued on Tuesday. He said a sudden surge in floodwater level had left them stranded along with a vehicle. All of them were later rescued and taken to a safe location along with the vehicle.
KP CM Directs Precautionary Measures
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi directed relevant authorities to take precautionary measures in view of heavy rains across the province, a statement issued by his office said. The statement quoted him as saying that all relevant departments were on high alert and ensuring that precautionary measures were taken.
He also said that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Rescue 1122 and district administrations were immediately responding to complaints and prepared to carry out relief activities. “The district administration is continuously monitoring vulnerable and low-lying areas. The protection of human lives is the top priority and no negligence will be tolerated in this regard,” he was further quoted as saying.
The CM appealed to citizens to take precautionary measures and asked them to immediately inform the district administration about any untoward incident. “The government is continuously monitoring the situation and taking all possible steps,” the CM said.
Afghan Rivers Flooding
The KP Irrigation Department reported in a statement that floodwater from Afghan rivers had reached near the border and could enter Pakistan. The statement said heavy rain had caused flooding in Afghan rivers, due to which a torrential flood was developing in Kabul River.
It added that this could affect Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera and other areas of KP. Moreover, there were also chances of floodwaters from Afghan rivers causing a flood-like situation in areas south of Punjab’s Attock, the statement said.
Rain in Punjab
The PDMA in Punjab said several areas of the province received rain on Monday and Tuesday, including Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Murree, Minawali, Kot Addu, Attock, Rahim Yar Khan, Rawalpindi, and Multan.
As Lahore witnessed rain from morning through evening, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) was on high alert on the directives of Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, a statement by Wasa said. The statement said the Wasa vice chairperson, director general and managing director directed that all main arteries and underpasses should be kept cleared for traffic, field teams should remain active, pumps at disposal stations should be operational, and town directors should monitor the situation in their respective towns.
Weather Update
According to the Met Office, Parachinar, Cherat, Dera Ismail Khan, Dir, Drosh, Bannu and Saidu Sharif also received rain. The continuing spell of rain over the past few days has claimed several lives across the country, with authorities warning of more rain in the coming days.
Analysis: A Region Under Water
The evacuation of over 70 people from Peshawar’s Sardar Garhi area and 65 from Sardar Colony highlights the ongoing flooding crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Budhni nullah, which has been at the center of flooding concerns, recorded a high flood level with discharge reaching 13,035 cusecs.
The impact on infrastructure has been significant, with 170 electricity feeders affected in Peshawar alone. While 58 have been repaired, over 100 remain out of service, leaving many residents without power during the ongoing rains.
The warning about floodwater from Afghan rivers entering Pakistan adds another layer of concern. The Kabul River, which flows through KP, could see increased flows, potentially affecting Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, and even parts of Punjab’s Attock district.
The provincial government’s response, with CM Afridi directing precautionary measures and authorities on high alert, reflects the seriousness of the situation. However, with more rain forecast, the coming days will test the capacity of rescue and relief operations.
For the residents of Peshawar’s low-lying areas, the flooding is a recurring nightmare. For the authorities, it is a reminder of the urgent need for better drainage infrastructure and flood management systems. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such flooding may become more common.
