Pakistan villagers say floods hit ‘in seconds’; death toll rises to 365
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People wading through heavy monsoon rains in Karachi on Aug 19.
PHOTO: EPA
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DALORI BALA, Pakistan - Residents in a hilltop village in north-west Pakistan described how raging waters and rocks had swept through their homes after a cloudburst, as authorities said on Aug 19 the toll from floods in the region over the past five days had risen to 365.
Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in the mountainous north-west have brought destruction since Aug 15 in the worst spell of this year’s monsoon, with officials warning of more storms ahead.
In Dalori Bala village near Gadoon mountains, the death toll climbed to 30 after rescue workers recovered more bodies from the rubble on Aug 19, one day after a cloudburst, said local district commissioner Nisar Khan.
At least nine more people are missing, he said.
Residents of the village of about 100 concrete houses in the mountains of Swabi district said a torrent of rocks came crashing onto homes, causing walls and roofs to collapse, as they were preparing for work on the morning of Aug 18.
It started with a “horrible”, thunderous noise at about 8am, said Mr Zeeshan Ali, a 20-year-old college student. “It took away everything in one go, in seconds,” he said.
His buffalos, as well as other belongings including electrical goods, were washed away, though his family was able to escape.
“We are in need of assistance,” said another resident, 45-year-old Bakht Zaman.
Buner, to the north, received more than 150mm of rain within an hour triggered by a cloudburst on the morning of Aug 15, killing over 200 people – the single-most destructive event in this monsoon season.
Karachi chaos
A cloudburst is a rare phenomenon where more than 100mm of rain falls within an hour in a small area.
Bodies were still being recovered in the north-west, with an unspecified number of people missing, said Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
More than 25,000 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit areas, he said, with a total of 695 killed across Pakistan since late June.
The army and air force have joined rescue efforts.
In southern Pakistan, heavy rain flooded major roads in the port city of Karachi, causing traffic gridlock and power outages on Aug 19, a regional government spokesperson said.
TV footage showed cars floating in the floodwater on the city’s main thoroughfare and rainwater entering houses in low-lying areas.
Authorities said 145mm of rain had fallen in the city and that there could be more urban flooding in Pakistan’s south, including Karachi.
The NDMA has warned of more intense monsoon spells across the country until Sept 10. REUTERS
