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PESHAWAR, Aug 28 (APP): The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a sweeping relief and rehabilitation strategy in response to the catastrophic floods triggered by cloudbursts and torrential rains starting August 15.
The districts of Buner, Swat, Shangla, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Swabi were severely affected, with the calamity claiming 406 lives, injuring 245, and causing extensive damage to property and infrastructure.
In a message, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said that authorities mobilized instantly upon the first reports from Bajaur on the morning of August 15. Rescue agencies, district administrations, and relevant departments were dispatched promptly.
The coordinated effort resulted in the rescue of 5,566 individuals and the recovery of 430 deceased. The government deployed 176 vehicles and boats, alongside 2,061 rescue personnel, to affected zones. Subsequent relief work has seen the restoration of 136 roads and 65 bridges, the provision of cooked food to approximately 119,000 people, the delivery of 125 truckloads of supplies, and the establishment of 70 medical camps.
The provincial government has significantly increased financial compensation for victims. The compensation for fatalities has been doubled to Rs. 2 million per person, while aid for the injured is now Rs. 500,000.
Payments for completely destroyed homes have been raised to Rs. 1 million, and for partially damaged houses to Rs. 300,000. For the first time, shopkeepers will receive compensation: Rs. 500,000 for destroyed shops and Rs. 100,000 for cleaning flooded establishments. Aid for losses to crops, orchards, and livestock has also been pledged.
To ensure transparency and efficiency, a digital payment system has been introduced, with a firm deadline set for this Sunday to complete all disbursements. Thus far, Rs. 654 million has been distributed to the heirs of 350 deceased, Rs. 19.5 million to 18 injured persons, Rs. 66.5 million in food stamps to 4,432 people, Rs. 28 million for shops, and Rs. 79 million for damaged houses. Over Rs. 2.3 billion in further payments for shops and houses is pending immediate disbursemen.
To oversee the efforts, two secretary-level officers have been specially assigned to the Hazara and Malakand Divisions, with additional staff deployed at the district level.
Medical services have been bolstered with extra staff, mobile units, and ensured availability of essential medicines. In a show of solidarity, cabinet members, assembly members, and government employees will donate their salaries to a special transparent account managed by the PDMA.
The provincial government has already released Rs. 6.5 billion to the Relief Department, with an additional Rs. 5 billion to be issued shortly.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur stated that the government’s goal is to help victims stand on their feet and restore infrastructure in the shortest possible time. He affirmed a commitment to full rehabilitation, promising new homes for those who lost them and complete compensation for all damages.
The government also announced plans to relocate vulnerable communities from high-risk zones to prevent future tragedies and has taken full responsibility for children orphaned by the floods, vowing to bear all their expenses. The KP government also extended solidarity and offers of assistance to flood victims in Punjab.