45 more die in KP floods

Peshawar: Due to rains and floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 45 more people have lost their lives, bringing the total death toll to 358.

Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali reported that in the past 24 hours, 45 deaths and 33 injuries have been recorded. The Health Department is providing emergency services in the affected areas.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) released a report detailing the human and material losses across various districts of the province. According to the report, so far 358 people have died and 181 injured due to rain and flash floods in districts including Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Battagram, and Sawabi.

The deceased include 287 men, 41 women, and 30 children, while the injured comprise 144 men, 27 women, and 10 children. A total of 780 homes were damaged, with 431 partially and 349 completely destroyed. Buner remains the hardest-hit district with 225 deaths reported so far.

PDMA also warned of heavy rainfall expected between August 17 and 19, with intermittent rains likely to continue until August 21.

Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali stated that 822 cases of infectious diseases have been reported in flood-affected areas, with 442 new patients admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours. Fortunately, no deaths due to infectious diseases have occurred.

He further added that 32 medical camps have been set up across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 7,447 patients have been examined so far. Forty-six healthcare centers have been affected by the floods, with four completely destroyed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Barrister Dr. Saif said that relief and rehabilitation activities are ongoing rapidly in all affected districts. A digital app has been launched to ensure timely and transparent payments to flood victims.

He added that Rs3 billion have been released for relief and rehabilitation. During rescue operations, 5,210 people have been safely evacuated. Around 6,000 personnel, five army helicopters, and one provincial helicopter are involved in the relief efforts. Additionally, 176 rescue centers have been established in affected districts.

Barrister Dr. Saif said that 100 flood-affected roads have been cleared, and 89 trucks carrying relief supplies have been delivered to affected districts, with more trucks scheduled to depart today.

He also shared that 2,800 tents, 6,100 mattresses, 2,700 hygiene kits, 4,300 kitchen sets, 3,100 tarpaulins, 7,400 mosquito nets, 6,800 blankets, and 500 gas cylinders have been distributed in affected districts. Furthermore, 289 medical camps have been set up to treat 822 reported infectious disease cases promptly.

He mentioned that the Chief Minister has donated one month’s salary and the cabinet has contributed 15 days’ salary to flood victims. Assembly members have donated seven days’ salary, officers Grade 17 and above have given two days’ salary, and government employees from Grade 1 to 16 have donated one day’s salary for the flood-affected people.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army’s Engineers Corps is continuing relief operations in flood-affected areas of Shangla and Buner. The Peer Baba Bypass has been reopened to all traffic, and debris removal at Peer Baba Bazaar has been ongoing overnight for the convenience of the public.

The Army has cleared landslides from three points on the road to Gokand village and reopened the Aluach Paran road. Army Urban Search and Rescue teams, along with heavy machinery, are conducting continuous search operations in Besoni and Qadir Nagar areas. So far, five bodies have been recovered from a nearby nullah in Besoni.

After recent flooding in Buner, Shangla, and Swat, a cloudburst occurred in Sawabi’s Topi tehsil. The Pakistan Army’s relief teams promptly reached the affected areas in Topi, including Dularai, Sarkoi, and Badha, to assist civil administration with emergency operations.

The Pakistan Army stands with the Pashtun people during this difficult time, and rescue operations will continue until full restoration of the affected areas.