UPDATE 2- Death toll from rains, flash floods in northwestern Pakistan climbs to 60, with 24 missing

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By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – The death toll from ongoing rains and flash floods in northwestern Pakistan has climbed to 60, with 24 others missing, a rescue official said on Friday.

Heavy rain and cloudbursts caused widespread flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told Anadolu over the phone.

"So far, 60 people have died and 16 have been injured across the province in the last 24 hours, with 24 still missing," he said.

He added that the victims were 40 men, eight women, and 12 children.

Earlier, Rescue 1122 issued a statement stating that heavy rain and a cloudburst caused massive flooding in the Salarzai area of the Bajaur district on Friday morning, resulting in the washing away of several houses.

So far, 17 people have died, three have been injured, and six remain missing, according to the statement.

"The injured have been taken to local hospitals while the search operation continues for the missing," said Amjid Khan, a district officer of Rescue 1122.

Separately, at least five people died and four others were injured when a house collapsed in the Sori Paw area of Lower Dir district after heavy rain hit the region.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people died and 18 went missing in the Battagram district after a massive flood washed away several houses.

In another incident, fast-moving water in the Mansehra district swept away a car, resulting in two deaths and one injury.

There were 26 casualties reported from Swat, Dir Upper, Torghar, and Shangla districts.

The new casualties brought the national death toll to 370 in the ongoing monsoon spell since June 26. Over 740 others have been injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

A majority of deaths, 164, and more than 582 injuries have been reported from the eastern Punjab province, the hardest hit by the current monsoon spells.

The massive rains also triggered landslides in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the Gilgit-Baltistan region, as authorities struggled to evacuate those stranded in different areas.

The NDMA has warned of another spell of monsoon rains from Friday until Sept. 10.

Authorities also cautioned that the rise in temperatures accelerated the melting of snow and glaciers across high-altitude regions, increasing water flows in rivers.

Monsoon rains, which typically last from June to September, often cause destruction across South Asia, including Pakistan, but climate change has further increased their unpredictability and intensity in recent years.