Death toll from Pakistan floods and landslides passes 350

The death toll from Pakistan floods and landslides has passed 350. 307 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 5 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 9 in Kashmir. The Qatari media outlet Al Jazeera reported this information, citing the Pakistani Ministry of Disaster Management. Earlier, authorities had said that 225 people had died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Many people in the north are still stranded due to heavy rains, floods and landslides. Rescue efforts are slow due to the destruction of roads. Attempts are being made to deliver aid using helicopters, but a military helicopter crashed, killing five people. The crashed helicopter was being used to deliver aid to the Pakistani military and remote areas.

The Pakistani government has declared a state of emergency in the north. About 1,300 tourists have been evacuated from the Mansehra tourist area. The districts of Boon, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have been declared disaster areas after the severe rains. The Meteorological Department has warned of the possibility of more heavy rains in the next few hours.

About 70 to 80 percent of South Asia's total annual rainfall occurs during the monsoon season. While the monsoon is important for agriculture and food security, flash floods and landslides often turn deadly. At least 60 people have also died and about 200 are missing in floods caused by heavy rains in Indian-administered Kashmir.