Pakistan Defends Flood Response as Death Toll in Northwest Climbs to 274

Pakistani authorities on Sunday said that the death toll from flash floods in the country’s northwest has risen to 274, after rescuers recovered dozens of bodies from the rubble of collapsed homes.

Mohammad Suhail, spokesperson for the emergency service, confirmed that 54 bodies were found in Buner district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where torrential rains and sudden cloudbursts unleashed devastating floods on Friday. Several villagers remain missing, and rescue teams are focusing on flattened homes in remote areas.

Villagers Blame Officials

Residents of Buner accused authorities of failing to issue evacuation alerts before the floods and landslides struck. Traditionally, mosque loudspeakers are used in rural communities to warn of impending danger, but locals said no such announcements were made.

Govt Defends Its Response

The government defended its response, stating that while an early warning system exists, the intensity and sudden onset of the cloudburst made it impossible to alert residents in time.

Lt. Gen. Inam Haider, head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), told the media in Islamabad that Pakistan is witnessing the impacts of climate change. Since the start of the monsoon season in June, the country has already received 50 per cent more rainfall compared to the same period last year. Heavy downpours are forecast to continue in the coming weeks.

Asfandyar Khan Khattak, director-general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, added that “no forecasting system anywhere in the world” can predict the exact location and timing of a cloudburst. (Inputs from CBC)

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