By Nasir Aijaz
The AsiaN Representative
ISLAMABAD: At least 344 people lost their lives in 48 hours as floods, landslides, and rain-related incidents devastated northern parts of Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Saturday.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province alone, 328 people died and dozens were injured, while Gilgit Baltistan (GB) reported 12 deaths and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 11 fatalities.
Authorities fear that the toll may rise further as search operations continue in severely impacted areas as severe floods and landslides in districts including Buner, Swat, Mansehra, Bajaur, and Batagram have destroyed homes, shops, and infrastructure. About 30 to 40 people are missing.
The KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that in Buner area alone death toll had reached 184. All of these districts, including Swat, have been declared disaster-hit areas by the KP government.
Around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations in nine affected districts.
Heavy rainfall, landslides in several areas, and washed-out roads are causing significant challenges in delivering aid, particularly in transporting heavy machinery and ambulances. Due to road closures in most areas, rescue workers are travelling on foot to conduct operations in remote regions. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that intermittent rains are expected to continue until August 21, keeping flood risks high
