More than 300 people have died in northwest Pakistan following two days of heavy rain and flooding, local authorities reported, reports RTE.
Rescue operations and clearing of blocked roads are ongoing, supported by emergency funds, they added, noting that the heavy rainfall is expected to continue until 21 August.
The most lethal monsoon event of this year was caused by cloud bursts, flash floods, lightning strikes, landslides, and building collapses, reports RTE.
By early this morning, 307 fatalities had been confirmed, with more individuals missing, in the hills and mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Heavy rains, flooding, and related incidents have also severely impacted parts of neighbouring India and Nepal over the past week.
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Buner district, normally a three-and-a-half-hour drive north of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, was among the worst affected areas, with 184 deaths and widespread damage to infrastructure, crops, and orchards, officials said, reports RTE.
A cloud burst, falling trees, and flash floods swept away people and belongings.
Some parts of Buner still have people trapped by floodwaters, including women and children, with 93 bodies recovered so far, reports RTE.
In Shangla district, many of the 34 deaths were caused by the collapse of a building’s roof due to heavy rain, said provincial Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah.
He added that local officials had been sent to flooded zones to oversee relief efforts and evaluate damage, reports RTE.
Medical camps are being set up for flood victims, with cooked meals arranged for families who have lost their homes, he said.
Mr Shah said heavy machinery would be used to clear and reopen roads, reports RTE.
Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, stated that both civilian and military teams are engaged in rescue and relief operations, while the prime minister held an emergency meeting.
“Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, to those who are injured, and many whose homes and livelihoods have been swept away,” Dar said in a statement on social media, reports RTE.
Yesterday, a rescue helicopter crashed due to bad weather, killing all five crew members onboard, reports RTE.
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