FLOODS KILL MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE IN PAKISTAN

More than 200 people have lost their lives in severe monsoon floods and landslides across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The majority of the fatalities occurred in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in north-western Pakistan, where disaster authorities reported widespread destruction. At least 30 homes were swept away, and a rescue operation turned tragic when a helicopter crashed in bad weather, killing all five crew members on board. In addition, nine people died in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, while five fatalities were reported in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Meteorologists have forecast continued heavy rainfall in the northwest of the country through 21 August. Several areas have already been declared disaster zones. In the district of Buner, a survivor described the catastrophic moment, saying the floods came like “doomsday. ” I heard a loud noise like the mountain was collapsing,” said Azizullah. “I ran outside and saw the ground shaking—it felt like the end of the world. The earth trembled from the water’s force. It was like staring death in the face.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, confirmed that the M-17 rescue helicopter crashed while en route to Bajaur, a district near the Afghan border, due to poor weather conditions. In Bajaur, images showed crowds gathered around heavy machinery digging through mud-soaked hillsides, while funeral prayers were held nearby for victims wrapped in blankets. In response to the devastation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declared a day of mourning.