Death toll in Pak flood-related incidents rises to 1300

PESHAWAR - The death toll from the devastating floods in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has risen to 1,300, with waterborne diseases adding to the misery of the people.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director, Shakil Qadir, said that 690 people had been killed in Charsadda, Nowshera, Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi.

He also said that 115 people were still missing since the torrential rains and floods hit the province.

“The government is facing a lot of difficulties to carry out rescue operations because of the collapse of bridges and roads in several areas,” The Daily Times quoted Qadir, as saying.

According to reports, the death toll in the worst hit districts of Swat and Shangla had reached 434.

The Meteorological Department had issued a warning on Sunday, saying that a high tide was expected to pass through Taunsa Barrage before Tuesday, putting Punjab’s southern districts at high risk.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army is operating at full stretch continuously in KP, Balochistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and has so far rescued over 28,000 people trapped in floodwater and moved them to safer places.

A flood control and monitoring cell has also been established in the Pakistan Army corps headquarters in Karachi for round-the-clock monitoring of the floods to meet a possible emergency situation.
The Karachi corps has also sent 35 motorboats to KP on flood duty. (ANI)