President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has extended condolences to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan following the extensive loss of life and injuries caused by severe rains and floods in the country’s northwestern regions, as reported by the President’s press service.
The head of state conveyed his sympathy and support to the families and loved ones of the deceased, and wished a swift recovery to those injured.
The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in Pakistan and India has surpassed 365, with at least 300 fatalities reported in Pakistan alone. Many remain missing after entire settlements were inundated in the Himalayan region.
According to the local disaster management agency, the Buner district in Pakistan’s northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, is the most severely affected. Rescue teams are continuing their search for survivors and recovering bodies from under debris and mud following the heavy downpour. The ongoing adverse weather conditions and the remoteness of the affected area are complicating rescue efforts, which involve military personnel.
Earlier reports from the provincial government head, Ali Amin Gandapur, indicated that a regional government Mi-17 helicopter carrying humanitarian aid crashed in the Mohmand district. All five crew members, including two pilots, perished. The provincial government declared August 16 as a day of mourning. Authorities have yet to assess the full extent of the damage.