Death toll in KP floods climbs to 401 as rescue operations continue, ration distributed among victims

As many as 148 more people have been killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of death toll in the province in rain-related incidents during the last 48 hours to 401 and prompting the provincial government to impose a state of emergency until August 31, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.   

Pak Army continues to distribute rations in flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ration distribution process among flood victims in Buner continues without a break through Pakistan Army helicopters. Pak Army's relief operations will continue till the flood victims are restored. 

According to the scribe, death toll in Buner district during floods have touched 401 while 671 people were injured. 2300 houses were completely destroyed, 413 partially destroyed. 2 police stations and 6 government schools were submerged and 4054 livestock have also been swept away. 

On the other hand, AFP put the death toll at 344. As many as 156 people were injured in KP. Buner, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Bajaur and Swat have emerged as the worst-hit areas.

Rescue operations continued on Sunday after severe flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the toll rising to 401 people dead and 156 injured, with 217 deaths recorded in Buner alone. On Sunday evening, the PDMA released an updated damage report outlining casualties and property damage from August 15 until 6:30pm.

The dead include 273 men, 29 women and 21 children, while the injured include 123 men, 23 women and 10 children, the PDMA stated. The PDMA’s figures also show that 320 cattle heads were killed in the flooding, while 336 homes, 57 schools and 23 other structures were damaged or destroyed. In Swat, 219 homes were affected, with 177 partially destroyed and 42 fully destroyed. Around 163 cattle heads also perished in the district, affecting people’s livelihoods.

A total of 209 people have been displaced in Buner district, which was the most affected by the floods, the PDMA report said. These accidents occurred in different districts of the province, Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla and Battagram. The authority added that heavy rain was forecast from August 17-19, with ongoing rain expected to continue intermittently until August 21.

In Buner alone, the death toll has exceeded 250, while bodies of 11 people have been found in Battagram. 

Principal Saeed Ahmad’s swift order on Friday saved nearly 900 students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat minutes before surging waters demolished the school.

The Pakistan Army, under the special instructions of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, is continuing the distribution of rations among flood-affected people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Troops remain actively engaged in rescue and relief operations across flood-hit areas, including Buner, Shangla, and Swat.

Army helicopters have delivered essential supplies to Khawaza Banda, including flour, rice, lentils, milk powder, salt, tea leaves, and cooking oil. The military distributed ration among the flood victims in Mangora.

Military helicopters are also evacuating injured individuals, women, and children from remote regions to safer locations.

Meanwhile, army doctors have set up medical camps in the affected areas, where free medicines are being provided.

The Pakistan Army has reaffirmed its commitment to continue this public service mission until the complete rehabilitation of all flood victims is achieved.

"The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing," Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency told the AFP.

"There is still concern that dozens of people may be trapped under the rubble… the chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim".

He said that around 2,000 rescue workers were engaged in recovering bodies from the debris and carrying out relief operations across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts.

Heavy rain also forced the authorities to close the section of the motorway, connecting Islamabad to Peshawar.

Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers has opened road blocked due to landslide in Shangla. As per the directions of the Chief of Army Staff, Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers has been deployed to help in flood relief and rescue operations in Shangla and Buner districts.

The Pakistan Army launched a relief operation in Tero, a remote village in Phander tehsil of Gilgit-Baltistan, following special instructions from Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Gen Syed Asim Munir.

According to details surfaced on Sunday, a field hospital has been established to provide medical care. According to military officials, a specialist medical team has reached the area. The team includes a paediatrician, a gynaecologist, a medical specialist and a general duty medical officer.

After floodwaters cut off road access to the village, residents faced serious health concerns due to the lack of medical facilities.

The medical team examined patients, provided medicines, and decided to remain in the area to offer round-the-clock services.

Four critically injured individuals were airlifted to hospital by helicopter for urgent treatment.

In addition, the army distributed relief supplies to affected families. These included flour, rice, lentils, clean drinking water and other essential food items.

According to the military, this public welfare mission will continue until full recovery of the affected population.

Currently, 400,000 cusecs of water is flowing in the Indus River therefore DC Bhakkar has directed evacuation of people and livestock from low-lying areas. 

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur visited Buner and reviewed the situation, arising out of floods in the area. He also monitored relief and rescue operation in the area. 

Intermittent rainfall in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and their outskirts on Sunday morning turned the weather pleasant, while in view of more rains, a state of emergency was declared in Rawalpindi.  

WASA Rawalpindi was also put on high alert.The water levels in Lai Nullah at Katarian and Gawalmandi rose to 12 and 8.5 feet, respectively.

Over 70 millimeters of rainfall had been recorded in the twin cities till last reports came in.  Low-lying areas of Islamabad were inundated following the opening of the spillways of the Rawal Dam. Soon after the opening of the spillways, the water started passing over the Pindorian Bridge. Areas like New Shakaryal, Pindorian, Khana Pul, Ghori Town and Sanam Chowk were affected.  On the orders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, goods have been dispatched to the flood-affected areas of KP. More trucks, carrying relief goods, have reached these areas. 

On the other hand, the weather department forecast torrential rains for Islamabad, Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and KP until August 21, which could trigger floods in streams and nullahs besides landslides. The spokesman for the PDMA said that there were chances of a cloudburst in upper Punjab. Similarly, he added, there were also chances of rain in different parts of Sindh.  

Reporters: Hashir Warraich, Irshad Qureshi and Tayyab Saif