Torrential rains and floods wreak havoc in NW Pakistan

At least 344 people were killed in rain-triggered floods and related disasters across Pakistan over the last 48 hours, with northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province suffering the most severe damage, the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Saturday.

About 90.6 percent of the fatalities were caused by flash floods, while 6.4 percent resulted from roof collapse accidents, the NDMA said in a statement.

According to rescue organizations, torrential rains, flash floods, and lightning strikes have wreaked havoc across 11 districts of the province, leaving several people missing.

Widespread destruction has been reported, with dozens trapped under debris and many others swept away by the floods. Rescue teams are working to aid the injured and recover bodies from the rubble, and the situation in the area remains urgent, Bilal Faizi, spokesperson for the state-run Rescue 1122 KP, told Xinhua.

According to the NDMA, 634 people were killed and over 700 others injured, while 1,887 houses have collapsed in rain-related accidents across Pakistan since the inception of the monsoon season in June, CMG reported.

The NDMA said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the worst-hit, with 378 deaths, followed by 164 deaths in the eastern Punjab. In the southern Sindh and northern Gilgit-Baltistan, 28 and 24 people lost their lives, respectively, while the remaining 40 fatalities were reported from other provinces and Islamabad.

(With input from Xinhua)