PESHAWAR: The rescue and relief operations continued for a third consecutive day across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after flash floods and torrential rains left at least 314 people dead and 156 others injured.
The KP government declared a state of emergency as heavy downpours devastated several districts, sweeping away homes, displacing families, and damaging vital infrastructure.
The PDMA report mentioned that Buner district was the worst affected, where 209 people have lost their lives and 120 sustained injuries. In Shangla, 36 deaths and 21 injuries were reported, and Mansehra recorded 24 fatalities and five injuries. Bajaur also suffered significant damage, with 21 deaths and five injuries.
In this sense, in Swat, 16 men lost their lives while two people were injured. Lower Dir witnessed five deaths, caused by thunder strikes and roof collapses, along with three injuries.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed authorities to expedite relief work. The PDMA has also set up emergency control rooms to monitor the evolving situation and coordinate efforts across districts.
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However, the devastation has drawn attention to the urgent need for long-term flood mitigation measures, with officials stressing that climate change is intensifying weather patterns and increasing the frequency of such disasters in the region.
