- Bajaur reports highest death toll with 184 fatalities.
- Around 2,000 rescuers engaged in recovering bodies.
- As many as 3,817 people affected by floods: KP govt.
PESHAWAR/SWAT: The death toll from floods, landslides and other rain-related incidents in the country’s northern areas continues to increase, with 307 fatalities reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone in the last 48 hours.
Expanding on the death toll in KP, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Saturday said that the deceased include 279 men, 15 women and 13 children.
A total of 74 houses were damaged, 63 houses were partially destroyed, and 11 houses were completely destroyed in the recent floods, the PDMA added, warning that the current spell of rain is expected to continue till August 21.
Noting that rain-related incidents were reported in Buner — where 184 deaths have been reported — Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla and other areas, the PDMA said that an amount of Rs500 million has been released for the flood-affected districts.
Out of this, Rs15m have been allocated for Buner, and Rs10m for Bajaur, Battagram and Mansehra each.
All of these districts, including Swat, have been declared disaster-hit areas by the KP government.
The provincial rescue agency told AFP that around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations in nine affected districts.
“Heavy rainfall, landslides in several areas, and washed-out roads are causing significant challenges in delivering aid, particularly in transporting heavy machinery and ambulances,” Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for KP’s Rescue agency, told AFP.
“Due to road closures in most areas, rescue workers are travelling on foot to conduct operations in remote regions,” he added.
“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,” Faizi remarked.
In light of the havoc caused by rains and floods, Prime Minister Shehbaz has directed the NDMA to ensure the immediate delivery of tents, medicines, food supplies, and other essential relief items to KP.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, as per the security sources, has also issued special instructions for the rehabilitation of people affected by the recent floods in the province.
The army has allocated its one-day ration — amounting to over 600 tonnes — for aid to those impacted by the disaster.
Extra military contingents are being deployed to further support the relief operations in the worst-hit areas.
Field Marshal Munir has also issued special instructions to the Corps of Engineers to expedite the repair of damaged bridges. He further directed that temporary bridges should be installed wherever necessary to restore vital connectivity for affected communities.
3,817 people affected
Addressing the dire situation in the province, KP CM’s Adviser on Information, Barrister Saif said that a total of 11 districts have been affected from cloudbursts and floods in KP.
“The total number of people affected by the floods is 3,817,” Saif said in a statement today.
Noting that as many as 32 people were still missing for whom a search was underway, the KP government spokesperson said that 545 rescuers and 90 vehicles and boats were taking part in the rescue and relief operations.
Meanwhile, KP’s Health Adviser Ihtisham Ali has departed for Buner along with a consignment of medicines, ambulances and medical staff.
“I will be present on the ground myself, will provide all possible help to the victims,” Ali said.
Separately, eight more bodies have been found in Swat of people swept away in floods, Deputy Commissioner Saleem Jan said in a statement.
With the DC saying that the total number of people killed in Swat had reached 20, the PDMA has said that a total of 2,071 people were rescued across the district during floods.
Situation in AJK
Apart from KP, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan regions have also been hit hard by rain, floods and landslides — killing at least 11 people in the former, whereas the latter’s death tally stands at 12 so far.
According to the AJK’s State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the deceased include five children, three men and three women.
The floods, the authority added, also damaged 417 houses of which 104 have been completely destroyed.
Warning that more showers were expected from Sunday to Tuesday, the SDMA said that the rescue operation has been completed in Neelum Valley, Jhelum and Bagh district and most of the stranded tourists have been shifted to lower areas.
“Neelum Highway has been restored for all types of traffic,” it added.
— With additional input from AFP