Heavy cloudburst rains and sudden flash floods have claimed the lives of at least 200 people across Pakistan, with the worst devastation reported in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts of Bunir, Bajaur, and Battagram.
Local authorities say torrential downpours since Thursday triggered deadly landslides, burying dozens under mud and debris. In Bunir alone, rescue teams have recovered 157 bodies, including 120 from Gadezi tehsil. In Chagharzai, the collapse of a building killed 22 members of the same family.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Agency reports that 189 deaths occurred in the province over the past 24 hours, including 163 men, 14 women, and 12 children. Many women and children remain trapped in the Higuakand and Pir Baba areas, while the Al Madina Hotel has been completely submerged by floodwaters.
A relief helicopter crashed en route to the disaster zone, killing both pilots and three other crew members. In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, landslides have claimed eight lives, and nearly 500 tourists are stranded in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened a high-level meeting to review rescue and relief operations, and officials say Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may soon be declared a disaster zone. The military, along with national and provincial disaster response teams, is spearheading recovery efforts amid fears the death toll will rise further.
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