At least 307 people have died and 23 sustained injuries across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the past 48 hours of heavy rains and flash floods, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said Saturday.
Buner was the worst-hit district with 184 fatalities, followed by Shangla with 36, Bajaur 21, Mansehra 23, Swat 22, Battagram 15, Lower Dir five, and Abbottabad one, according to PDMA.
The report said the deceased included 279 men, 15 women, and 13 children. Infrastructure losses were also recorded, with 63 houses fully damaged and 74 partially damaged, along with schools and bridges washed away in several districts.
Residents gather at the site of a damaged bridge following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Kashmir, August 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS
Rescue operations are under way in Buner, where efforts continue across three tehsils.
Reports suggest several people are trapped under debris, a rescue spokesperson said. The operation continued throughout the night, and debris removal has begun in the affected areas.
Source: Reuters
Meanwhile, flood relief operations by Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps are ongoing in Buner, Swat, and Bajaur. Army teams remain engaged in relief activities in flood-hit districts. Helicopters are delivering rations and other essential supplies, while evacuations to safe locations are under way.
National response mobilised
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has dispatched a team to Peshawar to oversee relief operations in flood-hit areas of K-P, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read: Deadly deluge devastates K-P
According to NDMA, full support is being provided to the provincial government including the supply of relief goods. The NDMA chairman briefed the prime minister on the situation last evening.
NDMA said it is in constant coordination with civil and military institutions and is monitoring ongoing relief efforts round-the-clock. It warned of an increased risk of landslides in northern areas due to expected rains and urged people to remain cautious. Tourists have been advised to avoid traveling to the region for the next five to six days.
COAS issues directives for rehabilitation of flood victims
Field Marshal Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Syed Asim Munir has issued instructions for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people in K-P, Radio Pakistan reported.
COAS has directed that military personnel deployed in the province fully assist in rehabilitation efforts. Additional troops are also being dispatched for the purpose.
Pakistan Army has donated one day’s salary for rehabilitation and allocated one day’s ration — amounting to over 600 tons — for flood victims in the province.
The Corps of Engineers has been instructed to expedite the repair of damaged bridges and establish temporary ones where required.
The Army’s 9th Unit Rescue Sniffing Dog Unit is being deployed for search and rescue operations, while the Special Urban Search and Rescue Team has also been sent on the directives of the COAS.
ETEA postpones exam
All Education Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) tests scheduled for today in flood-affected areas of Upper and Lower Dir as well as Chitral have been postponed.
The examinations could not be held due to heavy rains and flooding in the affected districts, according to ETEA officials
The ETEA Director said that new dates for the postponed tests will be announced later, adding that all decisions will be made keeping in view the convenience of students once the situation improves.
Chopper crashes in bad weather
A K-P government helicopter delivering flood relief supplies crashed in a tribal district yesterday, killing all five crew members, provincial officials said.
The MI-17 aircraft went down in Mohmand district while en route to the flood-hit Salarzai area of Bajaur district, after losing contact in bad weather, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur told reporters. The dead included two pilots.
Search teams later located the wreckage in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand, CM Gandapur said, confirming there were no survivors. The provincial government declared a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast, and said the crew would be buried with full state honours.
“These individuals lost their lives while helping others during this crisis,” the chief minister said. “Their sacrifice will be remembered.”
