More than 300 killed in heavy rain, floods in Pakistan

More than 300 people are dead in northwest Pakistan after two days of intense rains and floods, local officials said on Saturday.

Rescue efforts and clearing of blocked roads were ongoing with the release of emergency funds, they said, adding that the heavy rains would continue until August 21.

Cloud bursts, flash floods, lightning strikes, landslides, and the collapse of buildings caused the most deadly spell of this year’s monsoon season. By early Saturday, 307 were confirmed dead, with more people missing, in the hills and mountains of the region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

Not only Pakistan but also parts of neighbouring India and Nepal have been hit hard by heavy rains, flooding and other rain-related incidents over the past week.

Buner district, a three-and-a-half hour drive north from Pakistan's capital Islamabad in normal times, was among the country's worst-hit, with 184 killed and widespread damage to infrastructure, crops and orchards, local officials said. A cloud burst, fallen trees and flash floods swept away people and possessions.

People, including women and children, remained trapped by floodwaters in some areas of Buner, with 93 bodies recovered.

In another area, Shangla, the collapse of the roof of a building due to the downpour caused many of the 34 deaths, said the provincial Chief Secretary, Shahab Ali Shah.

He said that local officials had been dispatched to the flooded areas to supervise relief operations and assess the damage.

Medical camps, he said, were being established for the flood victims, along with arrangements for families who lost their homes to be provided with cooked meals. Shah said that heavy machinery would be deployed to clear and restore roads.

Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said that civilian and military teams were carrying out rescue and relief operations, while the prime minister had chaired an emergency meeting.

“Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, to those who are injured, and many whose homes and livelihoods have been swept away,” Dar said in a statement on social media.

On Friday, a rescue helicopter had crashed, due to bad weather, killing the five crew members.