Hopes for survivors fade as Pakistan rescuers search for 150 still missing

Rescuers are looking for much than 150 radical who were inactive missing connected Monday successful northwestern Pakistan, which was devastated by landslides and flash floods connected Friday.

Torrential rains triggered the flash foods killing astatine slightest 344 people and destroying hundreds of homes.

Most of the deaths – 317 – were reported successful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, wherever monsoon rains, expected lone to intensify successful the days ahead, person driven flooding and landslides that collapsed houses.

More than 150 radical are missing successful Buner, wherever astatine slightest 208 were killed and “10 to 12 full villages” were partially buried, according to authorities.

“They could beryllium trapped nether the rubble of their homes, oregon swept distant by floodwaters,” said Asfandyar Khattak, caput of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

“Separately, successful Shangla district, dozens of radical are besides reported missing,” Khattak added.

The spokesperson for the province’s rescue bureau said astir 2,000 rescue workers are progressive crossed 9 districts, wherever rainfall is inactive hampering efforts.

“The cognition to rescue radical trapped nether debris is ongoing,” said Bilal Ahmad Faizi.

“The chances of those buried nether the debris surviving are precise slim,” helium added.

After days without power, the energy proviso was restored connected Sunday afternoon.

Flooded roads hampered the question of rescue vehicles, arsenic a fewer villagers worked to chopped fallen trees to wide the mode aft the h2o receded.

The provincial authorities has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram arsenic disaster-hit areas.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered for wide funerals, wherever bodies wrapped successful blood-stained achromatic shawls were laid retired connected the colony ground.

Iran said it stood acceptable to supply “any practice and assistance aimed astatine alleviating the suffering” successful neighbouring Pakistan, portion Pope Leo XIV addressed the flooding with prayers “for each those who endure due to the fact that of this calamity”.

The monsoon play brings South Asia astir three-quarters of its yearly rainfall – captious for agriculture and nutrient proviso – but besides brings destruction.

“The strength of this year’s monsoon is astir 50 to 60 percent much than past year,” said Lieutenant General Inam Haider, president of the nationalist catastrophe agency.

“Two to 3 much monsoon spells are expected until the archetypal weeks of September,” helium told journalists successful Islamabad.

Landslides and flash floods are communal during the season, which usually begins successful June and eases by the extremity of September.

The torrential rains that person pounded Pakistan since the commencement of the summertime monsoon person killed much than 650 people, with much than 920 injured.

Pakistan is 1 of the world’s astir susceptible countries to the effects of clime change, and is contending with utmost upwind events with expanding frequency.