PICTURE RELEASED BY PID
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate dispatch of relief goods to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on a priority basis, in light of the ongoing flood emergency triggered by heavy rains and cloudbursts in the northern regions of Pakistan.
The Prime Minister issued the directive while chairing an emergency meeting to review the country’s flood situation. During the session, the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) briefed the Prime Minister on damages, rescue efforts, and ongoing relief operations.
The NDMA chief informed the meeting that cloudbursts and flash floods in the upper parts of the country have caused widespread destruction.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep concern over the situation in KP, where floods have killed over 200 people so far. He instructed NDMA to continue close coordination with the KP government and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to enhance rescue and relief efforts.
He also directed NDMA to ensure full deployment of resources and maintain regular communication with provincial authorities. The Prime Minister emphasized that essential supplies including tents, medicines, food, and other relief items must be delivered by trucks to KP without delay.
PM Shehbaz also ordered urgent evacuation of stranded locals and tourists from flood-hit areas, ensuring their safe relocation to secure shelters.
Widespread Devastation in Northern Pakistan
Cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods have wreaked havoc across several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir. So far, more than 200 people have lost their lives, with many others injured or missing.
In Buner alone, over 150 people have died. Entire villages were swept away, houses collapsed, and livestock and vehicles were lost to the raging waters. A state of emergency has been declared in the district.
In Bajaur, flash floods and landslides killed 21 people. In Mansehra’s Dheri Haleem village, 16 bodies were recovered from floodwaters in nearby Batagram. Authorities have declared Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Batagram as disaster-hit areas.
Tragedy struck during relief efforts when a KP government helicopter crashed in Bajaur. The chopper was en route to flood-affected areas. Two pilots and three crew members were martyred in the incident.
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