On the night of 26 April 2015, a severe storm hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, causing considerable damage in the cities of Peshawar, Nowshera, and Charsadda.[1] The storm featured heavy rains accompanied by hail and high-speed winds of over 120 kilometers per hour (or 75 miles per hour).[2] As a result of the storm's damaging effects, 45 people were killed and over 200 were wounded.[2]
 The storm that produced the tornado over northern Pakistan on 26 April | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | Night of 26 April 2015 |
| Tornado | |
| Highest winds | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 45 |
| Injuries | 200 |
| Areas affected | Peshawar, Nowshera and Charsadda |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2015 | |
The storm occurred after parts of Pakistan were already partially flooded from prior rainfall in February 2015, up to a meter (or three feet) deep in some places.[1] The storm also collapsed many buildings’ walls and roofs, took down many electricity poles, and killed livestock and damaged many crops in rural Peshawar and Charsadda (including wheat crops and orchards).[1][2]
Aftermath
After the storm, many people remained injured or without drinkable water, food, and shelter. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government organized and sent members of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PMDA) and the military to aid with rescue and recovery efforts in the areas affected.[1][2][3]
Subsequent wind, rain and hail in the aftermath of the cyclone disrupted the power supply and telecommunication services in the region.[4] The storm was informally dubbed a “mini-cyclone” in the press.[4] Later analysis by the Pakistan Meteorological Department determined that the event was a tornado.[5]
Heavy weather on the next day forced the Pakistani military to cancel two flights to Nepal taking supplies to survivors of the earthquake on the previous day.[4]
References
External links
- New York Times video coverage of storm
- OCHA's Flood Impact Update map of Pakistan, as of September 2015
- Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA)
- Ongoing world disasters monitored by ReliefWeb