PESHAWAR: A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government MI-17 helicopter crashed while transporting relief supplies to Salarzai in Bajaur, officials confirmed. The accident led to the martyrdom of three individuals.
Authorities lost contact with the helicopter while it was flying over Mohmand due to bad weather. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said all efforts were made to re-establish communication before the crash was confirmed. Rescue teams were immediately sent to the site under his orders.
The Chief Minister added that the province’s second government helicopter is currently assisting in rescue operations in Buner.
The crash comes amid widespread flooding across KP caused by heavy rains over the past 24 hours. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported 43 fatalities and 14 injuries. Among the deceased were two women and eight children. The injured include 11 men, two women, and one child.
The PDMA also noted significant property damage. Thirty houses were affected, with five completely destroyed and 25 partially damaged. Fatalities and damage were reported in Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, and Battagram. Bajaur and Battagram were the worst-hit districts.
Rescue operations are ongoing in all affected areas. PDMA teams, local authorities, and volunteers are actively engaged in providing relief. The PDMA warned that intermittent heavy rains are expected to continue until August 21, potentially worsening the flood situation in vulnerable districts.
In Mansehra, lightning and a cloudburst triggered additional flooding, causing further casualties and property losses. Low-lying areas in Swat, including Mingora, Malam Jabba, Haji Baba, Khwazakhela, and Marghazar, have been submerged.
Hundreds of homes are flooded, and access to some localities is cut off. Many residents, including women and children, have taken refuge on rooftops, while others are evacuating on their own.
Authorities are urging the public to follow safety instructions and remain cautious until the rains subside.
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