Pakistan: At least 25 people were killed and 145 others injured as heavy rains lashed northwest Pakistan, causing several houses to collapse. According to officials, rain and hailstorm uprooted trees and toppled electricity transmitter towers in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Karak districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Emergency relief efforts underway
Senior rescue officer Khatir Ahmed said that efforts are on to provide emergency relief to the injured. As per reports, monsoon rains and floods ravaged Pakistan last year, killing over 1,700 people and affecting over 33 million people. In addition, it displaced approximately 8 million people.
Government allocates USD 1.3 billion for climate resilience
According to a PTI report, the government in its draft national budget presented on Friday allocated USD 1.3 billion for climate resilience to reduce the effects of natural disasters.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths on Saturday. He also asked the officials to speed up the relief operation.
Taking cognizance of the impending cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, which is likely to intensify into an ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’, Sharif directed officials to take emergency measures in advance. Pakistan’s disaster management agency said a “severe and intense” cyclone with a wind speed of 150 kilometers per hour (93 mph) was moving towards the south of the country.
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