Islamabad: Thousands of rescue workers continued the search for survivors on Saturday after deadly flash floods hit northern Pakistan and neighboring India. The death toll from the floods, which were triggered by heavy monsoon rains this week, has climbed steadily as rescue efforts pick up pace after two days of torrential downpours.
According to Deutsche Welle, most of the victims were swept away by flash floods or died after houses and buildings collapsed. Rainfall continues to hinder the efforts of approximately 2,000 rescue workers who are striving to recover bodies from muddy debris, locate survivors, and provide much-needed relief. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's rescue agency spokesman, Bilal Ahmed Faizi, stated to AFP news agency that "heavy rainfall, landslides in several areas, and washed-out roads are causing significant challenges in delivering aid, particularly in transporting heavy machinery and ambulances."
A heavy rain alert has been issued for northwest Pakistan, with authorities urging residents to take "precautionary measures." Road closures in remote areas further complicate access for heavy vehicles needed to shift debris. Buner district deputy commissioner Kashif Qayum Khan expressed concerns that "many more people may still be trapped under the debris, which local residents cannot clear manually."
The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has declared several districts, including Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram, as disaster-hit areas. In a tragic development, a helicopter involved in the rescue efforts crashed on Friday. The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Ali Amin Gandapur, reported that an MI-17 helicopter carrying relief goods for rain-affected areas crashed in the Pandiyali area of Mohmand district due to bad weather, resulting in the death of five crew members.
In India, the situation is similarly dire, with 60 fatalities reported in the remote Himalayan village of Chositi in India-administered Kashmir. Rescue operations continue, with officials reporting that at least 300 people were saved on Thursday, yet many of the 200 missing individuals are feared to have been washed away. The village was particularly crowded due to a pilgrimage to the Machail Mata shrine, a local Hindu deity.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the challenges posed by natural calamities, stating, "Nature has been testing us. In the last few days, we have had to deal with landslides, cloudbursts and other natural calamities," during a speech marking the country's 79th Independence Day.
The increasing frequency of intense rains over small areas, known as cloudbursts, has been noted in India's Himalayan regions and northern Pakistan. These regions have become increasingly susceptible to flash floods and landslides. While the monsoon season is essential for South Asia's agriculture, bringing about three-quarters of the region's annual rainfall, it also results in landslides and flash floods. Experts attribute the worsening cloudbursts to climate change, exacerbated by unplanned development in mountainous areas. A study by the World Weather Attribution found that rainfall in Pakistan from June 24 to July 23 was 10% to 15% heavier, particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, due to climate change.