• 310 confirmed dead in province; over 100 bodies recovered
• Buner worst-affected with 204 deaths; PDMA fears more fatalities
• Emergency declared in nine districts until Aug 31; NDMA urges curbs on tourism
• KP observes day of mourning

PESHAWAR: As the death toll from catastrophic cloudburst-triggered floods in Khyber Pakht­unkhwa soared to 310 on Saturday, with Buner district alone accounting for 204 fatalities, recovery efforts continue amid fears of rising casualties, with a state of emergency declared in nine districts.

Torrential rains have ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond, with authorities warning that dozens of victims may still be trapped under debris.

“At least 93 bodies have been recovered in Buner, the worst-affected district,” Anwar Shehzad, spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), told Dawn on Saturday.

He feared that the figure might climb further as recovery operations continue over the next few days, with dozens of people still trapped under mud and large boulders.

In an advisory, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said public movement in high-risk areas must be curtailed during active monsoon spells to safeguard lives and support emergency response efforts. The advisory also notes that Section 144 may be enforced, if necessary, to impose tourism curbs and maintain public safety.

According to PDMA data, the disaster has claimed 310 lives, including 29 women and 21 children, following torrential rains and flash floods triggered by a cloudburst. Another 110 people were injured, among them 23 women and 10 children.

Buner alone accounts for 204 deaths, followed by 36 in Shangla, 25 in Mansehra, 21 in Bajaur, 16 in Swat, five in Lower Dir and three in Battagram.

At least 104 cattle have also perished. The extent of damage to buildings and public infrastructure will be shared once surveys in the affected districts are completed, officials said.

The provincial government on Saturday observed a day of mourning, with the national flag flown at half-mast across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Deaths and damage have been reported in Swat, Buner, Shangla, Bajaur, Lower Dir, Battagram and Mansehra.

An emergency has been declared until Aug 31 in Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Battagram. The order covers the provision of immediate relief to the affected population, with deputy commissioners instructed to mobilise all available resources for assistance.

“The PDMA shall provide, from its central storage, a reasonable quantity of tents, non-food items or any other article available if required for the subject purpose to Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, Dir Lower, Dir Upper and Battagram,” read a notification issued by the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department.

In Buner’s Pir Baba area, the number of rescued people has reached 158, while at least 30 more remain trapped in Gokand. Officials said nearly 190 people have been affected in these areas, with 27 rescued alive.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul said operations began early Saturday and involve dozens of staff, boats and more than a dozen vehicles. Reinforcements from Swabi, Mardan and Peshawar have been sent to assist the local administration.

Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise as several people remain missing and floodwaters continue to block access to remote villages.

In Swat, the death toll has risen to 17 with the recovery of five more bodies. Search operations are underway for a missing girl in the Bishbarn area.

Mingora city and its surroundings have been severely affected, with floodwaters inundating thousands of homes in neighbourhoods such as Mulababa, Makanbagh, Landikas, Old General Bus Stand, Amankot, Rahimabad and Manglawar. The floods have left layers of sand and sludge up to five feet deep.

Many families have relocated women and children to relatives’ homes, while men focus on cleaning and repairing damaged houses.

Hundreds of shops and warehouses have been flooded, resulting in significant losses. Welfare organisations have begun distributing cooked food to affected families. Initial estimates put the damages in Mingora alone at billions of rupees.

Officials, however, said water levels in the Swat River and adjoining streams have now returned to normal.

In Battagram, Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Khan told Dawn the district administration recovered the bodies of a woman and a child from the river during daylight operations. Search efforts are underway for three missing children and a woman.

Fazal Khaliq in Swat and Hamayoun Babar Yousafzai in Battagram also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2025