At least 22 people have lost their lives and 11 others have been injured in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since June 25 due to incidents triggered by heavy rain, strong winds, flash floods, and landslides, Dawn reported, citing the country’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
According to Dawn, citing the PDMA, 18 people were swept away by a sudden surge in the Swat River, which has experienced particularly dangerous monsoon conditions. Authorities have warned of continued flash flood and landslide risks across the province.
The PDMA report outlined casualties and damages in several districts, including Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral, Buner, Swabi, Kurram, Charsadda, Malakand, Shangla, Lower Dir, Torghar, and South Waziristan.
Among the deceased were seven men, five women, and ten children, while the injured included six men, four women, and one child, Dawn reported.
Regarding property damage, 75 houses were affected, with 64 partially and 11 completely destroyed. Swat district was the hardest hit, with 14 deaths and six injuries reported.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue in Swat, where a search mission entered its fourth day on Monday for a missing child. The child was among 13 tourists swept away by flash floods; 12 bodies have been recovered so far.
The PDMA has directed local authorities to provide emergency relief and medical care to the injured. Warnings for continued rain through July 1 have also been issued, urging district administrations to remain alert and take preventive steps.
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that 80 people were rescued during the floods. He also acknowledged the limitations of the province’s air ambulance, which lacks necessary equipment for aerial rescue in rough terrain and bad weather.
Meanwhile, widespread protests erupted in Mingora, with citizens, civil society members, and political activists condemning what they called the delayed and negligent response of authorities.
Protesters demanded a modernized rescue system, including helicopter facilities, early warning infrastructure, and greater accountability, according to Dawn.
(With inputs from ANI)
