Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:
At least 33 people have died and 25 are missing after heavy rains and a cloudburst triggered floods and landslides in several districts of the northwest of Pakistan, authorities said on Friday.
The disaster hit several districts of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), leaving behind a trace of destruction while rescue teams fought against the land and difficult climatic conditions.
In the areas of Salarzai and Jabrayi of the District of Bajaur, torrents of flood water swept the villages, destroying houses and cutting access roads. KP Rescue 1122 reported that 16 people lost their lives, three were injured and seven remained missing.
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Local residents helped rescue teams to recover the deceased and injured with debris and water. Search operations are ongoing with medical, diving equipment and other equipment deployed on the site.
The medical teams provided first aid on the site before transferring to the injured to nearby hospitals, while the divers and the specialized rescue units were deployed to help the search operations.
The authorities confirmed that the relief work is continuously being carried out despite the challenges raised by landslides and damaged infrastructure.
Read more: At least 10 dead as sudden floods wreak havoc on Ajk, GB
In the Sori Paw area of the lower district, five members of a home died when their home collapsed under heavy rains. Four others were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Battagram district was one of the most affected, with 10 people killed and 18 reported disappeared after the waters of floods dragged several houses.
In the Basiyaan de Mansehra area, two people died and another were injured when a car was swept by a sudden flood.
The authorities said that floods in Bajaur destroyed multiple houses, and in some areas, residents were forced to evacuate. Earth landslides have also been informed in other parts of KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, interrupting trips and deceleration of help efforts.
The KP Prime Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered the immediate deployment of all the resources available for rescue and relief, ordering the Malakand commissioner and the attached commissioner to supervise the operations.
Also read: Another monsoon wave to hit this week
A helicopter from the provincial government was sent to Bajaur to help. He also instructed the district administrations, especially in DIR and SWAT, to remain on a maximum alert and guarantee protection measures to safeguard lives and properties.
The number of deaths at the national level of the ongoing monsoon spell, which began on June 26, has increased to 343, with more than 740 injured people, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The Eastern Province of Punjab remains the worst blow, with 164 deaths and more than 582 wounds.
The rains of the monsoon, which last from June to September, often cause generalized damage throughout Pakistan, but experts say that their severity has increased in recent years, making rescue and help efforts more urgent and complex.
