Aug 1: The death toll in the ongoing flash floods and lashing downpours in Pakistan has crossed 1400 as hundreds of thousands of stranded people await relief. “The death tool has crossed 1400 and with epidemics breakout, we can expect more causalities”, a senior government official said.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government has waived off all provincial taxes, Punjab province lifted agricultural tax and Balochistan province announced to write off all agri-loans. In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone at least 900 people have hitherto lost their lives in the rain and flooding. Several villages were completely washed away.
Also, massive havoc was wrought in Swat and Shangla, where link bridges and thousands of houses were washed away. The province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the worst hit in the recent flooding, as over 567 houses were absolutely razed down to ground by flash floods, 90 highways were damaged, 58 big thoroughfares were closed for traffic; while, 104 people are still unaccounted for.
In neighbouring Afghanistan, flash floods have killed at least 65 people. The army said it had sent boats and helicopters to rescue stranded people.