On August 15, in Pakistan, heavy monsoon rains and the resulting floods and landslides turned into one of the deadliest disasters in the country’s history. According to Le Monde, at least 160 people lost their lives due to the torrential rains.
The greatest losses were recorded in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the death toll reached 110. The districts of Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Battagram were declared high-risk disaster zones. According to Pakistan’s Disaster Management Authority, 60 more people in this province sustained injuries of varying severity.
Photographs distributed by Agence France-Presse show people in Bajaur, near the Afghan border, manually digging through hills covered with mud and soil. In a nearby field, funeral prayers have begun, as local residents mournfully bid farewell to their loved ones.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department warned of a high risk of heavy rainfall in the northwestern regions and urged residents to avoid dangerous areas. In Indian-administered Kashmir, rescuers are working to recover bodies from the mud and rubble.
Experts believe such natural disasters have once again clearly demonstrated the dangers of the monsoon season. The government has intensified rescue operations, deploying all available resources to prevent the death toll from rising further.
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