Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:
At least 33 people have died, and 25 are missing after heavy rain and a cloudburst triggered floods and landslides in several districts in northwestern Pakistan, officials said Friday.
Disaster hit several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the province, leaving a trace of destruction when rescue teams fought for difficult terrain and weather conditions.
In the Bajaur District’s Salarzai- and Jabrayi areas, Torrents swept off flooding water through villages, destroyed home and cut off access roads. KP Rescue 1122 reported that 16 people lost their lives, three were injured and seven remain missing.
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Local residents helped rescue teams pick up the deceased and wounded from waste and water. Search operations are ongoing with medical, diving and other teams implemented on site.
Medical teams provided first aid on site before transferring the wounded to nearby hospitals, while divers and specialized rescue units were deployed to help search operations.
Officials confirmed that relief work is carried out continuously despite challenges presented by landslides and damaged infrastructure.
Read more: At least 10 died as flash floods destroy in AJK, GB
In the Dir Lower District’s Sori Paw area, five members of a household died as their home collapsed under heavy rain. Four others were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Battagtram district was among the hardest hit, with 10 killed and 18 reported missing after flooding water flushed several houses away.
In Mansehras Basiyaan area, two people died and another was injured when a car was swept away by a sudden flood.
Authorities said the flooding water in Bajaur destroyed several houses and in some areas the residents were forced to evacuate. Landslides have also been reported in other parts of KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, which interferes with the journey and slows down relief efforts.
KP Minister of Chief Ali Amin Gandapur ordered immediate implementation of all available resources for rescue and relief, as the Malakand Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner referred to supervise operations.
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A provincial government helicopter was sent to Bajaur to help. He also directed district administrations, especially in DIR and SWAT, to remain in high alarm and secure protective measures to protect life and property.
The nationwide death toll from the ongoing Monsun Tull Form, which began on June 26, has risen to 343, by over 740 people injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The Eastern Punjab Province remains the worst hit with 164 deaths and over 582 injuries.
Monsoon Rains, which lasts from June to September, often causes widespread damage to Pakistan, but experts say their severity has increased in recent years, making rescue and relief efforts more urgent and complex.
