PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: The death toll from the devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has climbed to 323, with over 150 people still missing, provincial authorities confirmed on Sunday. The nationwide tally of rain-related casualties since June 26 now stands at 657, making this monsoon season one of the deadliest in recent memory.
As fresh spells of heavy rainfall are expected in early September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed federal ministers to personally supervise relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province, which remains the worst-hit.
Addressing a press conference, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Asfandyar Khattak said rescue operations were in full swing, with five army helicopters assisting the provincial administration. “According to revenue staff in Buner and Shangla, nearly 150 people are still unaccounted for,” he said, adding that Rs1.5 billion has been released for emergency assistance.
Out of an initial tranche of Rs500 million, Rs150m has been allocated to Buner, Rs100m to Mansehra, Rs50m to Bajaur, and Rs40m each to Batagram, Swat, and Shangla. Smaller allocations of Rs10m each were made for Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai Palas. Relief consignments, including non-food items, have begun reaching affected districts, with 33 trucks dispatched to Buner, eight to Swat, and seven to Bajaur.
NDMA Warns of More Rains Ahead
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has cautioned that the country may face two to three more spells of heavy rain next month. Spokesperson Dr. Tayyab Shah noted that this year’s monsoon rains were 50 to 60 percent higher than last year, placing unprecedented strain on communities and infrastructure.
According to NDMA figures, 657 people have lost their lives since June 26 — including 171 children, 94 women, and 392 men. KP has borne the brunt, with 390 deaths, followed by Punjab with 164, Sindh with 28, Balochistan with 20, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) with 32, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) with 15, and Islamabad with 8 fatalities.
Gilgit-Baltistan Cut Off
In GB, cloudbursts and flash floods have caused widespread destruction. A flood in Katishu village, Kharmang district, killed a woman and her daughter on Sunday, while rescue teams later recovered the body of a missing four-year-old girl in Ghizer district.
Vital arteries such as the Karakoram Highway, Baltistan Highway, and Ghizer–Shandur Road remain blocked, leaving thousands stranded. Residents in Gilgit city staged protests over prolonged shortages of water, electricity, and internet connectivity, which have compounded the crisis.
PM Assigns Ministers to Oversee Relief
The Prime Minister’s Office announced that federal ministers would be deployed to supervise relief efforts in flood-hit KP districts. Engineer Amir Muqam will monitor operations in Shangla and Buner, while Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf will oversee efforts in Mansehra. PM’s Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb will supervise aid distribution in Bajaur.
According to officials, truckloads of food, tents, and medicines are being dispatched under the PM’s Relief Package. The prime minister is also personally monitoring NDMA’s operations in affected areas.
Punjab Rivers at ‘Low Flood’ Levels
Meanwhile, fluctuating water flows were reported in Punjab’s rivers. The PDMA said the River Sutlej was experiencing a low-level flood, with water levels recorded at 70,000 cusecs at Ganda Singhwala and 74,000 cusecs at Sulemanki.
PDMA DG Irfan Ali Kathia cautioned that flows above 80,000 cusecs could trigger low-level flooding, while 120,000 cusecs may lead to moderate flooding, and 175,000 cusecs could cause high-level flooding.
The authority also warned that another spell of heavy monsoon rains is likely to lash several districts of Punjab until August 22 or 23.
