PESHAWAR, Jul 18 (APP): The Met Office on Tuesday forecast widespread rains with thunderstorms and strong winds in most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till July 23 with occasional gaps.
It said that heavy rains might cause urban flooding in low lying areas of Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, and trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Swat, Chitral, Dir, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kurram and Khyber districts.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has instructed all the district administrations to assess and plan deployment of additional resources and exercise control over traffic leading to and in vicinity of the vulnerable, choke points, tourist spots, attractions and securing from loose structure such as buildings under construction to prevent losses and damages and save precious lives.
It further directed the district administration to adopt all precautionary measures to prevent urban flooding and regulate traffic in coordination with law enforcing agencies to protect precious lives.
It also called for availability of emergency services personnel and equipment, Rescue 1122, fire brigade, ambulance, civil defence in areas at high risk of urban flooding, flash flooding, hill torrents and landslides.
It said that the PDMA helpline 1700 would be operational round the clock and any emergency could be reported on this number.