Peshawar: Catastrophic flash floods have claimed at least 176 lives across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with several others still missing, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The devastation, triggered by relentless monsoon rains since late June, has particularly battered KP and the northern regions, unleashing deadly floods, landslides, and mass displacement in vulnerable and densely populated areas.

The fatalities include 150 men, 14 women, and 12 children, with Buner district recording the highest toll of 78 deaths. The PDMA reported that the floods have destroyed 45 homes, three schools, and eight other structures across the province, including 26 homes in Swat alone.

In a separate tragedy, a rescue helicopter dispatched by the KP government to deliver relief supplies to Bajaur district lost contact due to bad weather and later crashed. The provincial government confirmed that all five people onboard - two pilots and three crew members - were martyred in the crash.

'This tragic accident claimed the lives of five brave individuals, including two pilots,' said KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in a statement. He announced a province-wide day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast, and assured that the martyrs would be laid to rest with full honours. Rescue teams have been sent to the crash site to recover the bodies.

The back-to-back disasters have compounded the humanitarian crisis in KP, as rescue operations continue under challenging weather and terrain conditions.