Pakistan floods: Over 300 dead, rescue ops on as rains wreck homes, roads

Business Standard

2 days ago

Villages are under water, roads cut off and homes destroyed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while rescue teams work to save stranded families
New Delhi
The death toll from flash floods in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has risen to more than 300, news agency PTI reported. Torrential rains and sudden floods hit several districts on Friday, killing over 200 people in just one day.
According to Faizi, spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the rains, cloudbursts, and floods claimed lives in Bajaur, Buner, Swat, Mansehra, Shangla, Torghar, and Battagram districts.
District-wise losses
The PDMA reported that a total of 307 people have died so far.
• Buner recorded the highest toll with 184 deaths
• Shangla lost 36 people, Mansehra 23, Swat 22, Bajaur 21, and Battagram 15
• Lower Dir reported five deaths, while one child drowned in Abbottabad
Officials warned that the number may rise further as many people are still missing, PTI reported.
Monsoon havoc since June
Heavy rains have battered Pakistan since late June, the start of the monsoon season. Floods, landslides, and displacement have hit the northern areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the hardest, particularly in vulnerable and densely populated regions.
The floods destroyed roads, bridges, schools, homes, and power installations across several districts. According to PDMA, seven houses were completely destroyed and 38 damaged, mostly in Swat. Three schools were destroyed and another three damaged. Officials have warned that rainfall is expected to continue until August 21 in different parts of KP, Dawn reported.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government declared one day of mourning on Saturday for five army personnel who died when their Mi-17 helicopter crashed during a rescue mission. A notification said the national flag would be flown at half-mast across the province.
Rescue efforts in full swing
Rescue teams shifted more than 2,000 stranded people, including 300 children, to safety in Buner. Deputy Commissioner Kashif Qayyum said helicopters were being used to reach remote areas. He confirmed that Pir Baba Bazaar was submerged, a mosque in Gokand was destroyed, and many animals were swept away, news agency ANI reported.
In Mansehra, police rescued seven tourists trapped near Simicsar Lake after heavy rain and landslides cut off the area. Authorities also banned visits to Siren Valley due to rising river levels.
Pakistan floods: Travel disruptions
Floods and landslides blocked several roads, including the Karakoram Highway in Upper Kohistan. Passengers travelling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan were stranded. In Abbottabad, major roads were flooded, and traffic was paralysed for hours. Vehicles were swept away or damaged by debris and mud.
In Lower Dir, more than 25 tourists were stranded in Shahi and later rescued by security forces and district authorities. Several link roads remained closed due to landslides, disrupting travel and even preventing candidates from reaching exam centres, Dawn reported.
Power outages in Swat
Floodwaters entered the 132kv grid station in Swat, cutting off 41 feeders and suspending electricity across the district. Poles and transformers were also washed away.
The federal power minister directed the Peshawar Electric Supply Company to send extra staff, transformers, poles, and machinery to restore power supply quickly.
(With agency inputs)