Death toll after flash floods in northwestern Pakistan rises to 33

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) — The death toll as a result of rain-triggered flash floods in the northwestern region of Pakistan has risen to at least 33, while dozens remain missing, officials said on Friday.

Heavy rainfall hit the Kohistan district of Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province on late Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning, resulting in flash floods in the Kundian valley. Deputy Commissioner Officer of Kohistan Imitiaz Shah on Friday confirmed at least 33 people had been killed, the Nation reported.

The rain-triggered flash floods have principally affected the villages of Rasahao and Sambolobari within the Council Gabriyal union, which had already been devastated during last year’s flooding. In addition to the fatalities, 63 others have been reported missing; among them 18 men, 17 women, and 28 children.

The affected area is a mountainous region which is difficult to access, but flooding and landslides have made the area almost completely inaccessible. The flood waters washed away dozens of houses, livestock, property, and trees.

On Thursday, villagers had already recovered 16 bodies, but as district authorities deployed emergency teams, search and rescue operations have been carried out mostly by foot and by local residents as roads to the villages have been washed away. Local authorities have also sought federal assistance, but government officials have not yet initiated any rescue operations.

Earlier this month, torrential rains wrecked havoc in most parts of the southeastern province of Sindh, killing at least 18 people and leaving dozens more injured. Some areas saw the worst rainfall since at least 1936.

In late July 2010, above-average heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions killed approximately 2,000 people and affected around 20 million others. It was the country’s worst flooding in modern history.