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PESHAWAR, Sep 01 (APP):Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur here Monday said that torrential floods, heavy rains and landslides triggered by cloudbursts in Malakand and Hazara divisions have severely affected several districts of the province, with Buner, Shangla, Swat, Battagram, Bajaur and Swabi among the worst-hit.
Speaking at an informal interaction with senior journalists on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the calamity had claimed 411 lives, left 132 injured while 12 people were still missing. More than 12,000 families had been affected in total, he added.
According to official data, 571 houses were completely destroyed while 1,983 were partially damaged. Similarly, the floods had damaged 1,996 shops, 413 roads, 72 bridges, 589 government buildings and 99 power feeders.
The Chief Minister informed that a provincial government helicopter engaged in relief activities had also crashed during the operations, claiming the lives of five crew members.
He said timely measures by the provincial government enabled rescue agencies and district administrations to save 6,700 lives. For the purpose, 2,500 Rescue 1122 personnel, 1,000 civil defense volunteers, three army units and five helicopters were deployed.
From August 15, immediate emergency was imposed in the affected districts where 176 rescue vehicles, including ambulances, fire trucks and boats, were rushed, while 200 heavy machinery units, medical camps and four mobile hospitals were also established. To date, he added, cooked meals had been provided to 250,000 people, 140 trucks of non-food items distributed and 15 water filtration plants installed in the disaster-hit areas.
Highlighting the provincial government’s relief measures, Ali Amin Gandapur said compensation for deaths had been doubled from Rs1 million to Rs2 million per victim, while for the injured it was raised from Rs250,000 to Rs500,000. For completely destroyed houses, compensation was enhanced from Rs400,000 to Rs1 million, while for partially damaged houses it was increased from Rs100,000 to Rs300,000. For the first time, compensation of Rs500,000 per shop had also been fixed for destroyed businesses.
Giving details of payments so far, he said that out of 411 deaths, compensation had been disbursed to 352 affected families amounting to Rs704 million, while Rs30 million had been paid to 60 out of 136 injured persons.
Likewise, Rs367 million had been released to owners of 367 completely destroyed houses, Rs328 million to owners of 1,094 partially damaged houses, and Rs126 million to 253 shopkeepers out of 1,996 whose businesses were ruined.
Additionally, 8,000 families had been given Rs1,500 each under food stamps. The Chief Minister added that compensation for the loss of livestock would also be provided and data was being collected in this regard. He assured that within the next couple of days, disbursement of all categories of compensation would be completed.
On restoration work, the chief minister said that all 99 affected power feeders had been restored, 376 out of 406 damaged roads reopened, 65 of 77 bridges repaired, while 234 of the 386 impacted water supply schemes had been either fully or partially restored. He further announced that the provincial government had already released Rs4 billion for relief and rehabilitation, while another Rs5 billion would soon be issued.