Over 200 dead as heavy rains lash Pakistan, PoK
Peshawar/Islamabad, Aug 15 (PTI): At least 214 people were killed and several injured as heavy rains lashed several parts of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the past 36 hours, officials said Friday.
Most of the deaths occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after torrential rains triggered flash floods in various districts, while floods damaged scores of buildings and blocked major arteries, including the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Heavy rain in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is likely to continue intermittently until August 21, the authorities have warned.
At least 198 people, including 14 women and 12 children, were killed and several remained missing as flash floods wreaked havoc across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said here.
Buner district witnessed the highest number of deaths at 92, according to the PDMA. The other affected districts include Mansehra, Bajaur, Batagram, Lower Dir and Shangla.
The PDMA spokesperson, however, added that the number of those dead or injured is expected to rise further as scores of people are still missing in affected areas. “A total of Rs 500 million has been released for the districts most affected by floods as per the instructions issued by Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur,” the PDMA report said.
Two helicopters of the provincial government were working to rescue people. One met with a tragic accident due to bad weather resulting in the death of two crew members and three relief workers in Mohmand tribal district.
A notification addressed to all hospitals in the province ordered the establishment of flood control rooms in order to ensure the availability of medicines and the functioning of medical equipment.
Meanwhile, in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), eight people died and two others went missing as flash floods hit Ghizer district, officials said.
The floods damaged more than a dozen houses, several vehicles, schools, and health units, while blocking major arteries, including the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Highway, at several points.
The northeastern Neelum Valley also faced major disruptions, where tourists were shifted to safety.
More than 600 tourists camping at the Ratti Gali lake base were advised to remain in place after the link road was damaged.
The floods also washed away two connecting bridges over Lawat Nullah, and the swollen Jagran Nullah tore away a bridge in Kundal Shahi.
A scenic riverside restaurant and at least three houses in the area were also swept away.
In the Jhelum Valley, a cloudburst over Palhot unleashed a flash flood that damaged part of the road and left dozens of vehicles stranded.
With the Neelum River rising rapidly, authorities issued a flood warning and plan to relocate vulnerable riverside families.
In PoK's Muzaffarabad district, a massive landslide in Sarli Sacha village hit a home, leaving six members of a family buried and feared dead.
In Sudhnoti district, a 26-year-old man died after being swept away by a stream, while in Bagh district, a 57-year-old woman was killed when her home collapsed.
Since late June, the beginning of monsoon season, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country — especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern regions — deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.
The death toll since then till Thursday had crossed 325, including 142 children, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
