ISLAMABAD: Rescue operations have entered their third day in flood-hit regions of KP, where devastating flash floods have claimed 314 lives and left 156 injured, according to a report released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Sunday.
The KP government declared a state of emergency on Saturday after relentless rains triggered floods that swept through homes, displaced residents, and caused widespread destruction in Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and neighboring districts. Officials warned that dozens of people may still be trapped beneath debris, according to The Dawn.
Buner was the hardest hit, reporting 209 deaths and 120 injuries. Shangla saw 36 fatalities and 21 injuries, while Mansehra and Bajaur each reported over 20 deaths and five injuries.
In Swat, 16 men were confirmed dead and two injured. Lower Dir recorded five deaths caused by lightning and collapsed roofs, with three others injured. Three fatalities from lightning strikes were also reported in Battagram, the report said.
The floods damaged 159 homes, including 62 completely destroyed, and affected 57 schools, which suffered varying degrees of structural damage.
Emergency teams and equipment have been deployed to the worst-affected areas. However, access remains difficult. Continuous rain has made it impossible to reopen the Gadezai causeway, according to the Buner Deputy Commissioner’s Office. Rescue teams have reached Gokand and Pir Baba, and bodies have been recovered from Daggar Village.
In Swat, local authorities safely rescued two women and several schoolchildren, while rescue efforts continue in critical zones across the province.
“The situation in several areas remains dire, and emergency response operations are ongoing,” the PDMA stated, quoting the Additional Deputy Commissioner’s Office.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told AFP that operations are still underway to locate and rescue people possibly trapped beneath the rubble. “There is fear that many may still be buried. Unfortunately, chances of survival are very low,” he said.
He added that around 2,000 rescue personnel are working across nine districts, although ongoing rainfall continues to hamper recovery efforts.
Journalists reporting from Buner described a grim scene — vehicles half-buried in sludge, mud-covered homes and shops, and flooded roads blocking emergency access. In some villages, residents were seen cutting fallen trees to clear paths as the waters slowly receded.
(Inputs from The Dawn)
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