Disastrous Flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

According to Meteorological Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province received  250 to 300 mm of rain till Thursday, July 29, 2010 evening. This is the highest amount of rain recorded ever in the area in last 35 years. The heavy rain result in disastrous flood in the province. A number of bridges, roads and houses have been washed away. At least 410 people were killed and nearly 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. The crops in lower areas have been totally destroyed. The pictures below are taken at District Swabi, a relatively safe district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

View of Flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The picture given below is not of a river, canal or lake, but of a maize field covered with rain water.

After the Rain

Raindrops

I shot these raindrops pictures in August 2009. Last year from mid August to mid September we received a few monsoon rains and after that we didn't receive any significant rain. The wheat crop of barani (rainy) areas which depends on rainfall for its growth is almost wilted. As we already facing shortage of wheat, the dry weather will worse the situation. There is also a fear among the farmer regarding the shortage of fodder for their cattle. Besides the crops damage, dry weather is also contributing to transmission of viral infections. The number of patients with diseases like influenza, bronchitis, asthma, soar throat, chest infection, pneumonia and cough increasing day by day. Through this post I want to make a request to the world community to pray for us, so that God bless us with rain.

Raindrops