KP Floods Death Toll Rises to 323, Over 150 Injured as Rescue Operations Continue
PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has confirmed that the death toll from the devastating flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has risen to 323, with 156 people injured across multiple districts. The tragedy, triggered by days of relentless rainfall, has destroyed homes, displaced families, and left entire communities in mourning.
According to the PDMA report, the victims include 263 men, 29 women, and 21 children, while among the injured are 123 men, 23 women, and 10 children. In addition to the human loss, at least 336 houses were damaged — 320 partially and 160 completely — leaving hundreds of families without shelter.
Buner has emerged as the hardest-hit district, recording 209 fatalities. Other affected regions include Swat, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, and Battagram, where infrastructure damage and blocked roads have hampered swift relief efforts. The PDMA has also warned that further heavy rainfall is expected from August 17 to 19, with the spell likely to continue until August 21, raising fears of more flooding in vulnerable areas.
In response to the crisis, the Chief Minister of KP has released emergency funds and directed all departments to accelerate rescue and relief operations. A special control room has been established at the Directorate General of Local Government to monitor the situation round the clock, while volunteers and rescue teams remain active in the flood-affected districts.
The federal government has also stepped in, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructing the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to provide urgent aid, including rations and medicines. The NDMA has been ordered to coordinate closely with provincial authorities to ensure relief supplies reach the hardest-hit regions without delay.
The Pakistan Army has pledged full support, announcing that all officers and soldiers will donate one day’s salary to assist flood victims. In addition, the Army has allocated more than 600 tons of rations for affected families, with additional troops deployed to reinforce relief operations. Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir assured that the military will stand firmly with the people of KP during this humanitarian crisis.
Amid rescue missions, tragedy struck when an MI-17 helicopter of the KP government, carrying relief goods to Bajaur, crashed, claiming the lives of five crew members. The martyrs were laid to rest with full state honors, as the province continues to mourn both the victims of the floods and those who lost their lives during relief efforts.
Meanwhile, the federal government has launched the 911 emergency helpline nationwide to provide immediate assistance to citizens in disaster-hit areas, particularly where communication networks remain down.
On the ground, survivors are pleading for faster rescue operations and immediate shelter as rising waters continue to submerge villages and towns. In Mingora, Malam Jabba, Khwazakhela, and other parts of Swat, hundreds of homes have been inundated, forcing residents to seek refuge on rooftops or evacuate on their own. Reports of cloudbursts and lightning strikes in Mansehra have added to the devastation, with more casualties feared in remote areas.
The KP government earlier declared a day of mourning, lowering the provincial flag to half-mast and honoring those who lost their lives. Prayers were offered for the victims, and officials vowed to continue working around the clock until every displaced family receives relief.
The floods have once again highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters. As emergency teams race against time to rescue stranded families, authorities have urged citizens to remain cautious and prepared for further rain in the coming days.
Earlier this week, devastating rains in KP had already claimed 229 lives, as reported here, underscoring how quickly the situation has escalated into a major humanitarian crisis.
