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ISLAMABAD, Aug 19 (APP):National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik on Tuesday said that over 25,000 people have been rescued from flood-hit areas since August 17, as joint operations with national agencies continue across affected regions.
Speaking alongside Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, he confirmed that injured survivors are receiving treatment at local and military hospitals, with improvements in medical care ongoing.
At least 670 people have died and nearly 1,000 have been injured in recent floods, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Search-and-rescue teams, led by Pakistan Army units under the direct supervision of Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, are working round-the-clock to locate missing persons, many of whom were swept away in flash floods triggered by sudden cloudbursts and pressure bursts in Balochistan and sparsely populated areas.
Lt Gen Haider noted that NDMA’s continuously updated National Response Summary provides verified data on casualties and damages, accessible via the NDMA website. He warned of another monsoon wave expected in the last week of August, following the current spell ending August 23. Vulnerable zones include Northern Punjab, KP, Balochistan, and arid regions. Alerts are being issued daily through the NDMA mobile app “Disaster Alert” and shared in national coordination meetings.
On infrastructure, NDMA and the Ministry of Communications have cleared nearly 50 percent of landslides blocking key highways in Gilgit Baltistan and KP, aiming for full restoration within the next few days. A comprehensive damage assessment survey will begin in the final week of the monsoon, with a national needs report expected by mid-September.
Lt Gen Haider expressed gratitude to the armed forces, volunteers, NGOs, and citizens for their support, reaffirming the government’s commitment to sustained relief and recovery efforts.