Pakistan monsoon flood deaths reach nearly 400: Authorities
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said 356 people were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, a mountainous northwest province bordering Afghanistan.
In total, the NDMA added, 706 Pakistanis have died since June 26 due to the monsoon, which is expected to last until mid-September.
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Arab News
28 minutes ago
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia's KSrelief sends thousands of relief kits for flood-hit northwest Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) on Wednesday dispatched a large-scale emergency relief convoy for thousands affected by devastating floods in northwestern Pakistan. Torrential monsoon rains and cloudbursts have triggered floods in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, damaging critical infrastructure and killing hundreds. Monsoon rains since June 26 have killed 707 people in Pakistan, with KP accounting for the highest number of deaths at 427. According to KP's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 377 people, including 294 men, 50 women and 33 children, have died and 182 others have been injured in rains and flash floods across several districts since last week. A large-scale emergency relief convoy carrying food items, tents, solar panels and kitchen utensils was dispatched from Islamabad by KSrelief. The ceremony was attended by Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Pakistan's Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah and KSrelief Pakistan Director Abdullah Al-Baqami. 'I think relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are very unique,' Malki told Arab News after the ceremony. 'We always stand with Pakistan in thick and thin.' He said Saudi Arabia's king as well as its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman always want to support Pakistan, adding that relations between the two countries 'will grow to new heights in the future.' The relief convoy comprises 10,000 Shelter non-food item (NFI) kits and 10,000 food packages. Each shelter kit includes solar panels with LED lights, two thermal blankets, plastic mats, durable kitchen sets, water coolers, and antibacterial soap, the agency said in its press release. It said each food package weighs 95 kilograms and contains wheat flour, sugar, lentils, and cooking oil, adding that all items were carefully chosen to address the immediate nutritional needs of families affected by the floods. Sanaullah thanked the Saudi government for always standing by Pakistan during its time of need. 'Saudi Arabia has always been standing by Pakistan in difficult times,' Sanaullah told reporters. 'The relations between the two countries are like those between two brothers,' he added. KSrelief said the aid distribution will be carried out in collaboration with Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department (RR&SD), and KSrelief's implementing partners, Hayat Foundation and Peach and Development Organization. Over the years, KSrelief has launched numerous projects across Pakistan in food security, health, shelter, education, and disaster response— deepening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries. 'The dispatch of this convoy stands as another milestone in this enduring partnership, providing urgent relief to families affected by the devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,' the Saudi agency said. The annual monsoon rains are vital for agriculture, food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Pakistan, though in recent years they have caused intense flooding and landslides amid shifting weather patterns that scientists attribute to climate change worldwide.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Aid groups intensify flood relief in Pakistan, warn of long road to recovery
ISLAMABAD: Major Pakistani charities have intensified their relief operations in flood-affected areas, with representatives warning on Tuesday that significantly more funds will be needed during the rehabilitation phase to support thousands of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Since late June, heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 707 people across Pakistan, damaged infrastructure and triggered flash floods and landslides in the country's mountainous north, according to official data. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), nearly 400 people have died and 181 have been injured in northern Pakistan in the latest spell of rains that began last week, with Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province emerging as the worst-hit, accounting for 225 of the deaths. Pakistan's commercial hub Karachi, in the southern Sindh province, also experienced flash flooding on Tuesday following intense downpours that killed at least eight people. However, the primary focus of the NDMA and major relief organizations remains the northern districts, where emergency supplies are being dispatched daily to flood-hit areas. 'Currently, around 6,000 volunteers are working across Pakistan, with more than 1,100 deployed in Buner alone and since August 15, we have spent over Rs250 million ($886,525) on aid supplies, and are intensifying our efforts,' Dr. Hafeez ur Rahman, the top Alkhidmat Foundation (AKF) official, told Arab News. While Rahman said many individuals were still donating generously, he warned that the larger challenge lay ahead. 'Far greater support will be required for the post-flood rehabilitation of homes and businesses,' he said, noting that AKF had already begun collecting data on damaged houses and shops to assist their owners with rebuilding. In the immediate term, he added, the charity is focused on food and medical relief. Daily meals, crockery and clothes are being distributed, while volunteers are helping residents clear mud from homes to make them habitable again. 'Two mobile health units with full diagnostic facilities are operating round the clock, while a hospital in Buner provides comprehensive medical services, including surgeries,' Rahman said. He feared a surge in waterborne diseases in the flood-affected areas, saying the charity was distributing bottled water, installing portable filtration systems and deploying a high-capacity water purification truck capable of treating 2,000 liters per hour. Raza Narejo, the country director of Islamic Relief, an international humanitarian organization based in the United Kingdom, said his teams were working closely with local communities in Buner, Swat and Shangla districts of KP and were committed to long-term recovery. 'So far, we have generated £500,000 ($677,350) initially and we are aiming for more than £5 million ($6.8 million) overall response initially in life-saving phase and then recovery rehabilitation transitioning toward development,' Narejo told Arab News. He stressed that rebuilding efforts would require major investment in not only shelters, but also in damaged irrigation systems, farmland and road networks. Delivery of aid remained difficult due to damaged roads in the hilly terrain, he noted, though coordination with local authorities and communities was helping overcome challenges. Meanwhile, emergency teams in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan regions from the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) have evacuated more than 3,000 people from high-risk areas and are providing food, tents and temporary shelter. 'AKAH is organizing safe shelter in schools, community buildings and with host families where a total of 100 families (800 individuals) have been supported with one month of food and non-food items,' the organization said in a statement. AKAH's community volunteers are also working to restore damaged drinking water supply lines, irrigation channels, roads and agricultural land under extremely challenging conditions. The charity plans to deploy 16,500 mobile health care units and deliver portable medical equipment to affected health facilities. 'Village Emergency Response Teams (VERT) have been on the frontlines in Diamer, rescuing residents and stranded tourists, delivering emergency supplies and evacuating the injured to hospitals,' the statement added. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has also activated its Emergency Operations Center. 'PRCS has deployed volunteers for flood awareness, conducted rapid needs assessments, and mobilized emergency stocks including water treatment plants,' the group said.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan's PM inspects flood-hit Buner as monsoon toll in northwest climbs to 377
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday inspected the flood-hit district of Buner in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, one of the worst-affected areas in the ongoing monsoon season, where at least 228 people have died since last Friday out of 377 reported across the province. The annual monsoon rains are vital for agriculture, food security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Pakistan, though in recent years they have caused intense flooding and landslides amid shifting weather patterns that scientists attribute to climate change worldwide. Pakistan is among the world's most climate-vulnerable nations and has recorded at least 707 deaths, including 427 in KP, since the start of the season on June 26, with weather authorities warning of more rains in the coming days. 'The Prime Minister departed to visit the flood-affected district of Buner,' said his office in a statement. 'During the journey, he conducted an aerial inspection of flood conditions and damage in Buner and Shangla.' 'The Prime Minister will meet flood victims in Buner and distribute relief checks among them,' the statement added. According to KP's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 377 people, including 294 men, 50 women and 33 children, have died and 182 others have been injured in rains and flash floods across several districts since last week. The agency said 1,377 houses had been damaged, including 355 completely destroyed, with the highest losses reported in Buner. The PDMA said local administrations had been instructed to accelerate relief efforts and its emergency operations center was fully active. KARACHI RAINS Separately, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of extremely heavy rains in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur in the next 12 to 24 hours, forecasting more than 100 mm of rain in a short span of time. The NDMA said urban flooding could persist in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas due to poor drainage, while flash floods were possible in Thatta, Badin, Jamshoro and Dadu. It warned that rising water levels in the Indus River and its tributaries could inundate low-lying areas, potentially disrupting transport, electricity and telecommunications. Residents were advised to move valuables and livestock to safer ground and prepare emergency supplies. RIVER FLOWS In Punjab province, the PDMA said melting glaciers and monsoon rains were increasing river flows. The Indus River was experiencing medium-level flooding at Chashma and Taunsa barrages, and low-level flooding at Tarbela, Kalabagh and Sukkur. Low-level flooding was also reported at points along the Sutlej River, while the Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers were flowing normally with some tributaries at low flood levels. The authority said Tarbela Dam was 99 percent full and Mangla Dam 74 percent, urging citizens to take precautions and cooperate with authorities in case of emergency evacuation.
