Web desk: At least 321 people have lost their lives as torrential monsoon rains continue to batter northern Pakistan, triggering flash floods and landslides across several provinces, according to media reports.
The disaster authority reported that most of the victims, 307, were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While five deaths were recorded in Gilgit-Baltistan and nine in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The district of Buner has been among the hardest hit, where officials confirmed more than 220 deaths. First responders said entire villages were swept away after cloudbursts caused massive flooding on Friday.
According to Deputy Commissioner Kashif Qayyum, most of the casualties occurred in Pir Baba and Malik Pura. Emergency services spokesman Mohammad Suhail said dozens of homes were destroyed and rescue teams were still searching for survivors.
One eyewitness from Buner described the terrifying scene as floodwaters surged through the area, carrying “tons of rocks.” And hundreds of boulders that flattened everything in their path.
Authorities have declared Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram disaster-hit areas. In Mansehra, rescuers evacuated 1,300 stranded tourists after heavy rains triggered landslides, while dozens of people remain missing.
The provincial government is facing criticism after it emerged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s early warning system was not activated before the rains struck. A lapse that has prompted urgent calls for accountability and improvements to the system.
Meanwhile, a rescue helicopter deployed to flood-hit areas crashed in bad weather, killing all five crew members on board.
Reporting from Islamabad, Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder confirmed the aircraft belonged to the Pakistani military. And was being used in relief efforts in remote areas.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a fresh heavy rain alert for the northwest. Advising people to take precautionary measures as more downpours are expected in the coming hours.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s early warning system failed to activate during the recent torrential rains that left many dead in northern Pakistan.
The failure has sparked strong calls for accountability and demands for urgent steps to ensure the system is fully functional before the next spell of heavy rain.
Read more: Failure of KP’s early warning systems as death toll passes 200
