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Times of Oman
a day ago
- Climate
- Times of Oman
Over 340 killed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa floods, rescue efforts hampered
Peshawar: Rescue teams in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) districts continued to dig through mud and debris on Saturday after flash floods triggered by days of heavy monsoon rainfall claimed the lives of at least 344 people in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within 48 hours, officials said, according to the Express Tribune. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 324 deaths has been recorded in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while additional fatalities were reported in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). At least 137 people sustained injuries as houses collapsed and floodwaters swept away residents, livestock and vehicles, reported the Express Tribune. Authorities stated the scale of destruction prompted the provincial government to declare six districts, Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit. Thousands of homes were destroyed, while major roads, bridges and link routes were washed away, complicating relief and rescue work. "Heavy rainfall, landslides and washed-out roads are severely hampering rescue efforts, particularly the transportation of heavy machinery and ambulances," said Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for K-P's rescue agency, reported the Express Tribune. "In some areas, workers are forced to walk long distances to reach disaster sites," he said. "They are trying to evacuate survivors, but very few people are relocating due to the deaths of their relatives or loved ones being trapped in the debris." Nearly 2,000 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, though officials cautioned that more victims may remain trapped under rubble in remote areas. In Shangla district alone, 37 people were confirmed dead, with several others still missing. Torrential flooding, landslides and lightning strikes has left hundreds injured, destroyed houses and displaced entire communities. Officials said 11 people lost their lives in PoJK, nine in PoGB, and five more in Bajaur district after a government helicopter carrying out a relief mission crashed due to bad weather on Friday. The meteorological department has also issued a heavy rainfall alert for northwestern regions, urging people to take precautionary measures.
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Climate
- Calgary Herald
Hopes for survivors wane as landslides, flooding bury Pakistan villages
Peshawar (Pakistan) (AFP) — Thousands of Pakistani rescuers battled rain and knee-deep mud Sunday, digging homes out from under massive boulders in a desperate search for survivors after flash floods killed at least 344 people in the country's mountainous north. Article content Most of the deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses. Article content Article content In hardest-hit Bunar district, at least 208 people were killed and '10 to 12 entire villages' partially buried, a provincial rescue spokesman told AFP. Article content 'The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,' said Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency. Article content 'There is still concern that dozens of people may be trapped under the rubble… the chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim'. Article content He said that around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts. Article content Article content AFP journalists in Buner saw half-buried vehicles and belongings lying strewn in the sludge, with mud covering houses and shops. Article content Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded. Article content Article content 'Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape,' local shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud. Article content 'The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away,' he added. Article content The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas. Article content 'This disaster has spread everywhere and surrounded us from all sides. We were trapped in our homes and could not get out, another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP. Article content 'Our entire poor community has been affected. The shops in the lower bazaar have been destroyed. This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away,' he added.
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Hopes for survivors wane as landslides, flooding bury Pakistan villages
Published Aug 17, 2025 • 3 minute read People gather near a damaged vehicle and debris after flash flooding wiped out a road in monsoon-hit northern Pakistan Photo by Mehboob UL HAQ / AFP Peshawar (Pakistan) (AFP) — Thousands of Pakistani rescuers battled rain and knee-deep mud Sunday, digging homes out from under massive boulders in a desperate search for survivors after flash floods killed at least 344 people in the country's mountainous north. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Most of the deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses. In hardest-hit Bunar district, at least 208 people were killed and '10 to 12 entire villages' partially buried, a provincial rescue spokesman told AFP. 'The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,' said Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency. 'There is still concern that dozens of people may be trapped under the rubble… the chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim'. He said that around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across northern Pakistan have killed at least 344 people. (Sajjad QAYYUM/AFP) Photo by Sajjad QAYYUM / AFP AFP journalists in Buner saw half-buried vehicles and belongings lying strewn in the sludge, with mud covering houses and shops. Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded. 'Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape,' local shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud. 'The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away,' he added. The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas. 'This disaster has spread everywhere and surrounded us from all sides. We were trapped in our homes and could not get out, another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Our entire poor community has been affected. The shops in the lower bazaar have been destroyed. This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away,' he added. Mass funerals A resident removes sludge from his damaged house a day after flash floods in Buner district, located in Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. (Hasham AHMED/AFP) Photo by Hasham AHMED / AFP On Saturday, hundreds of locals gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground. Fallen trees and straw debris were scattered across nearby fields, while residents shoveled mud brought in by the floods out of their homes. Pakistan's meteorological department has forecast that 'torrential rains' with monsoon activity were 'likely to intensify' from Sunday onwards. The department warned of more flash floods and landslides in the country's northwest and urged people to avoid exposure to vulnerable areas. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction. Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September. The national disaster agency's Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah told AFP that this year's monsoon season began earlier than usual and was expected to end later. The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon, described as 'unusual' by authorities, have killed at least 650 people, with more than 910 injured. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency. Monsoon floods in 2022 submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people. Another villager in Buner told AFP on Saturday that residents had spent the night searching through the rubble of their former homes. 'The entire area is reeling from profound trauma,' said 32-year-old schoolteacher Saifullah Khan. 'I helped retrieve the bodies of the children I taught. I keep wondering what kind of trial nature has imposed on these kids,' he said. Columnists Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls CFL Toronto & GTA
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Int'l Business Times
Hopes For Survivors Wane As Landslides, Flooding Bury Pakistan Villages
Thousands of Pakistani rescuers battled rain and knee-deep mud Sunday, digging homes out from under massive boulders in a desperate search for survivors after flash floods killed at least 344 people in the country's mountainous north. Most of the deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses. In hardest-hit Bunar district, at least 208 people were killed and "10 to 12 entire villages" partially buried, a provincial rescue spokesman told AFP. "The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing," said Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency. "There is still concern that dozens of people may be trapped under the rubble... the chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim". He said that around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts. AFP journalists in Buner saw half-buried vehicles and belongings lying strewn in the sludge, with mud covering houses and shops. Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded. "Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape," local shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud. "The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away," he added. The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas. "This disaster has spread everywhere and surrounded us from all sides. We were trapped in our homes and could not get out, another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP. "Our entire poor community has been affected. The shops in the lower bazaar have been destroyed. This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away," he added. On Saturday, hundreds of locals gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground. Fallen trees and straw debris were scattered across nearby fields, while residents shoveled mud brought in by the floods out of their homes. Pakistan's meteorological department has forecast that "torrential rains" with monsoon activity were "likely to intensify" from Sunday onwards. The department warned of more flash floods and landslides in the country's northwest and urged people to avoid exposure to vulnerable areas. The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction. Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September. The national disaster agency's Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah told AFP that this year's monsoon season began earlier than usual and was expected to end later. The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon, described as "unusual" by authorities, have killed at least 650 people, with more than 910 injured. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency. Monsoon floods in 2022 submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people. Another villager in Buner told AFP on Saturday that residents had spent the night searching through the rubble of their former homes. "The entire area is reeling from profound trauma," said 32-year-old schoolteacher Saifullah Khan. "I helped retrieve the bodies of the children I taught. I keep wondering what kind of trial nature has imposed on these kids," he said. Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across northern Pakistan have killed at least 344 people AFP A resident removes sludge from his damaged house a day after flash floods in Buner district, located in Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province AFP
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First Post
2 days ago
- Climate
- First Post
Pakistan flood tragedy: Rescuers race against time as death toll climbs past 340
Flash floods and landslides in Pakistan's mountainous north have killed at least 344 people, with rescuers racing to locate survivors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as monsoon rains threaten further devastation. Locals collect woods from Noseri Dam near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on August 16, 2025, a day after flash floods. AFP Thousands of Pakistani rescuers fought rain and knee-deep muck Sunday, excavating homes out from beneath giant rocks in a frantic hunt for survivors following flash floods that killed at least 344 people in the country's mountainous north. The vast majority of the casualties were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains are likely to worsen in the coming days, causing flooding and landslides that destroyed homes. A regional rescue spokesperson told AFP that at least 208 people were murdered in the hardest-hit Bunar area, and '10 to 12 entire villages' were largely buried. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,' said Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency. 'There is still concern that dozens of people may be trapped under the rubble… the chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim'. He stated that some 2,000 rescue personnel were working to remove remains from the rubble and carry out relief operations in nine areas, where rain was still delaying efforts. AFP journalists in Buner observed half-buried vehicles and possessions scattered over the muck, while mud covered buildings and stores. Flooded roads delayed the progress of rescue vehicles, while a few people chopped down fallen trees to pave the route once the water subsided. 'Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape,' local shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud. 'The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away,' he added. The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas. 'This disaster has spread everywhere and surrounded us from all sides. We were trapped in our homes and could not get out, another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP. 'Our entire poor community has been affected. The shops in the lower bazaar have been destroyed. This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mass funerals On Saturday, hundreds of locals gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground. Fallen trees and straw debris were scattered across nearby fields, while residents shoveled mud brought in by the floods out of their homes. Pakistan's meteorological department has forecast that 'torrential rains' with monsoon activity were 'likely to intensify' from Sunday onwards. The department warned of more flash floods and landslides in the country's northwest and urged people to avoid exposure to vulnerable areas. The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction. Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September. The national disaster agency's Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah told AFP that this year's monsoon season began earlier than usual and was expected to end later. The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon, described as 'unusual' by authorities, have killed at least 650 people, with more than 910 injured. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency. Monsoon floods in 2022 submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people. Another villager in Buner told AFP on Saturday that residents had spent the night searching through the rubble of their former homes. 'The entire area is reeling from profound trauma,' said 32-year-old schoolteacher Saifullah Khan. 'I helped retrieve the bodies of the children I taught. I keep wondering what kind of trial nature has imposed on these kids,' he said.
