Peshawar, Aug 16: The death toll from the recent flash floods in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rose to over 300, with those killed also including 13 children, provincial authorities said on Saturday.
Torrential rains, which triggered flash floods in various districts of the province, are expected to continue intermittently until August 21, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
PDMA Spokesman Faizi said that in the past 48 hours, 307 people were killed by the devastating rains, cloud bursts and flash floods.
In a preliminary report, the PDMA said that those killed include 279 men, 15 women, and 13 children. It said that 23 people were also injured, including 17 men, four women, and two children.
The affected districts include Bajaur, Buner, Swat, Manaehra, Shangla, Torghar, and Batagram. Buner was the worst-hit, recording 184 deaths.
Shangla reported 36 deaths, followed by Mansehra with 23, Swat 22, Bajaur 21, Battagram 15, Lower Dir five, while a child drowned in Abbottabad.
A total of 74 houses have been damaged so far, of which 63 were partially and 11 completely destroyed, the PDMA said.
It added that relief teams and district administrations are in close coordination and are continuously monitoring the situation.
Relief funds have been released for flood-hit districts on the directives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
He instructed all departments concerned to expedite rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.
Instructions have also been issued to mobilise all available resources for the restoration of blocked highways and link roads in tourist areas.
Tourists have been advised to remain updated on the weather conditions and take necessary safety precautions, PDMA said.
On Friday, the PDMA spokesperson had said that the number of those dead or injured was expected to rise further as scores of people were still missing in affected areas.
Since late June, the beginning of monsoon season, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country — especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern regions — deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. (PTI)
