PESHAWAR: The death toll from flash floods in Pakistan has risen to at least 344, while more than 150 people remain unaccounted for in the country’s northwest, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Thousands of rescuers are battling relentless rain and thick mud, working tirelessly to dig through homes buried under massive boulders in hopes of finding survivors.
“In Buner district, at least 150 people are still missing — many possibly trapped beneath collapsed houses or swept away by floodwaters,” said Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority. He also noted that dozens more are missing in Shangla district.
Rescue operations have become increasingly difficult as heavy downpours continue. “There is no electricity or mobile signal in Buner, since power lines and mobile towers were destroyed in the floods,” Khattak added.
According to provincial rescue officials, Buner has been the hardest-hit district, where at least 208 lives were lost and “10 to 12 entire villages” were partially buried.
Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for the provincial rescue agency, said around 2,000 rescuers are on the ground across nine districts, recovering bodies and providing relief. “The operation to rescue those trapped under debris is still ongoing, but rain is slowing down our efforts,” he explained.
