Death Toll Exceeds 320 as Monsoon Devastates India By The Media Line Staff Pakistan is grappling with severe monsoon rains and a tragic helicopter crash, resulting in over 320 fatalities, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Torrential rains have caused flash floods, landslides, and cloudbursts, devastating homes, roads, and bridges. A military Mi-17 helicopter, on a […]
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The Media Line: Death Toll Exceeds 320 as Monsoon Devastates India
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Death Toll Exceeds 320 as Monsoon Devastates India
By The Media Line Staff
Pakistan is grappling with severe monsoon rains and a tragic helicopter crash, resulting in over 320 fatalities, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Torrential rains have caused flash floods, landslides, and cloudbursts, devastating homes, roads, and bridges. A military Mi-17 helicopter, on a relief mission, crashed in Mohmand district due to adverse weather, killing all five personnel on board.
Buner district has been the hardest hit, with at least 184 deaths reported. Additional casualties have occurred in Shangla and other districts, with further losses in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Rescue teams are struggling to access remote areas isolated by floodwaters. While over 2,000 individuals, including many schoolchildren, have been rescued in Buner, the extent of the destruction is staggering. Entire neighborhoods have been obliterated, schools and power stations damaged, and communication systems disrupted. In response, the provincial government has allocated 500 million rupees for emergency relief efforts.
In the wake of the helicopter crash, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa observed a day of mourning, with the national flag flown at half-mast. The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall until August 21, raising concerns about further flooding and landslides. Experts attribute the unusually intense rains to climate change, noting that precipitation levels are 10 to 15 percent above normal.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)reported that the death toll from the monsoon rains has reached at least 321, with 307 fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. Rescue operations are hampered by heavy rainfall and landslides, making it difficult to deliver aid and transport heavy machinery. NDMA representative Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah indicated that this year’s monsoon season began earlier than usual and is expected to last longer, with increased intensity anticipated in the coming weeks.