At least 307 people have died and 23 injured across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) after heavy rains and flash floods devastated multiple regions over the past 48 hours, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Saturday.
Buner was the worst-hit district with 184 fatalities, followed by Shangla with 36, Bajaur 21, Mansehra 23, Swat 22, Battagram 15, Lower Dir five, and Abbottabad one, according to PDMA.
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The report said the deceased included 279 men, 15 women, and 13 children. Infrastructure losses were also recorded, with 63 houses fully damaged and 74 partially damaged, along with schools and bridges washed away in several districts.
Rescue operations are underway in Buner, where efforts continue across three tehsils.
Reports suggest several people are trapped under debris, a rescue spokesperson said. The operation continued throughout the night, and debris removal has begun in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, flood relief operations by the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps are ongoing in Buner, Swat, and Bajaur. Army teams remain engaged in relief activities in flood-hit districts. Helicopters are delivering rations and other essential supplies, while evacuations to safe locations are underway.
Additional army contingents have been dispatched to join the efforts. The operation will continue until all affected people are safely rescued and relocated, the military said.
National response mobilised
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has dispatched a team to Peshawar to oversee relief operations in flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), at the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read: Deadly deluge devastates K-P
According to NDMA, full support is being provided to the provincial government, including the supply of relief goods. The NDMA Chairman briefed the Prime Minister on the situation last evening.
The NDMA stated that it is in constant coordination with civil and military institutions and is monitoring ongoing relief efforts around the clock. It warned of an increased risk of landslides in northern areas due to expected rains and urged people to remain cautious. Tourists have been advised to avoid traveling to the region for the next five to six days.
Chopper crashes in bad weather
A K-P government helicopter delivering flood relief supplies crashed in a tribal district yesterday, killing all five crew members, provincial officials said.
The MI-17 aircraft went down in Mohmand district while en route to the flood-hit Salarzai area of Bajaur district, after losing contact in bad weather, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur told reporters. The dead included two pilots.
Search teams later located the wreckage in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand, CM Gandapur said, confirming there were no survivors. The provincial government declared a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast, and said the crew would be buried with full state honours.
“These individuals lost their lives while helping others during this crisis,” the chief minister said. “Their sacrifice will be remembered.”
