By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday surveyed the flood-ravaged districts of Swat, Buner, and Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where relentless monsoon rains since August 15 have killed at least 385 people, with 14 more bodies pulled from the debris in Swabi’s Dalori village.
Torrential downpours have unleashed chaos across KP, flattening homes, displacing families, and leaving a trail of destruction in Buner, Swat, Shangla, and Mansehra. The provincial government declared an emergency last week as the deluge overwhelmed communities.
Accompanied by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and senior ministers, including Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam, and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Sharif received a detailed briefing on rescue and relief operations, the Press Information Department (PID) said.
In Swabi’s remote Dalori village, a cloudburst on Monday obliterated 12 homes, burying residents under rubble. Rescue teams recovered 14 more bodies on Wednesday, raising the village’s death toll to 37 and Swabi’s to 41, officials confirmed.
“We’ve completed the task, recovering all 37 bodies from Dalori’s debris,” Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan told reporters. “Eight were found on Monday, 15 on Tuesday, and 14 today.”
Meeting flood victims, Sharif pledged unwavering government and military support. “In this critical hour, we stand with you,” he said, praising the armed forces and civil administration’s tireless efforts, according to the PID. He vowed to deploy all national resources to speed recovery and restore normalcy.
Sharif also condemned illegal encroachments along riverways, which he said worsened the disaster’s toll. “In 2022, I saw hotels and houses built inside rivers and nullahs,” he lamented. “No law anywhere permits such dangerous constructions.” He urged Pakistan to act as a “hard state,” enforcing accountability without exception, the PID reported.
Field Marshal Munir, engaging with troops, police, and civil personnel, lauded their “selfless commitment” to aiding victims. “The safety and relief of our citizens are the top priority,” he said, directing ground forces to spare no effort.
the PID added.
In Dalori, round-the-clock rescue operations since Monday involved 110 Rescue 1122 personnel from Nowshera, Haripur, and Mardan, supported by Pakistan Army soldiers, civil defense volunteers, Al-Khidmat Foundation members, and locals, said District Emergency Officer Muhammad Awais Babar. “We’ll now shift to relief to rehabilitate those affected.”
The KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported 385 deaths province-wide, with Buner hardest hit at 228. Another 182 people, 145 men, 27 women, and 10 children, were injured. In Swabi’s Sarkoi Bala village, four bodies were recovered the day of the incident, while 29 were retrieved from another calamity-hit site.
Topi Mayor Rahim Jadoon said the number of missing in Dalori remains unclear, though 12 homes were confirmed destroyed. Hospitals treated eight injured villagers, offering free care, officials said.
In Peshawar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar thanked the federal and provincial governments, the army, political parties, and individuals for their aid. “Their support during this crisis is deeply appreciated,” he told reporters.
Britain’s King Charles offered condolences, expressing grief over the floods and a helicopter crash during rescue efforts. “The scale of suffering is heart-rending,” he said in a statement, extending “deepest sympathy” to those who lost loved ones and livelihoods. He praised the “extraordinary commitment” of emergency services and communities, noting the strong ties between the UK and Pakistan.
On Tuesday, Sharif ordered a week-long uninterrupted power supply to flood-hit KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, where road and electricity restoration continues. The floods, among Pakistan’s worst in recent years, highlight the vulnerability of KP’s mountainous regions, where illegal constructions and environmental degradation amplify losses.
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