The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Saturday reported that cloud bursts and flash floods over the past 48 hours have claimed 307 lives and injured 23 people across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the PDMA, the fatalities include 279 men, 15 women and 13 children, while the injured comprise 17 men, 4 women, and 2 child.
District-wise figures show 184 deaths in Buner, 35 in Shangla, 23 in Mansehra, 21 in Bajaur, 20 in Swat, 15 in Battagram, and five in Lower Dir.
The PDMA report stated that 74 houses have been damaged in total, with 63 partially destroyed and 11 completely demolished.Fatal incidents were reported in Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, and Battagram, with Bajaur and Battagram identified among the worst-affected districts.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is observing a day of mourning after devastating flash floods wreaked havoc across the province.
After the rescue helicopter crash in KP, the Chief Minister yesterday announced that the provincial flag would fly at half-mast and the martyrs would be laid to rest with full state honors. He prayed for the elevation of their ranks and patience for their bereaved families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to maintain close coordination with the KP government and ensure all available resources are utilised for rescue and relief operations. Chairing a meeting to review the flood situation, he ordered urgent dispatch of food supplies and medicines to the affected regions.
Rescue operations are underway, with PDMA teams, local authorities, and volunteers working in the disaster-hit areas. Survivors have appealed for faster rescue efforts and immediate shelter arrangements.
The PDMA warned that heavy rains are likely to continue until August 21, which could further aggravate the situation. In Mansehra, lightning and a cloudburst triggered additional flooding, while in Swat’s Mingora, Malam Jabba, Haji Baba, Khwazakhela, and Marghazar, low-lying areas have been submerged, forcing many families to seek refuge on rooftops or evacuate on their own.