Monsoon rains have triggered the worst floods in decades in northwest Pakistan, with more than 400 people killed in the last three days.
Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said Friday it was the deadliest such disaster in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province since 1929. He appealed to the international community for assistance.
Hundreds of homes, bridges and roadways have been destroyed in the province, including the areas of Peshawar, Swat Valley and the Charsadda district.
At least 400,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with many stranded in their villages. Military helicopters were working to evacuate people while dropping relief supplies to affected areas.
The U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, said Friday the U.S. government is making seven helicopters available to assist in relief efforts and will likely announce additional help soon.
Officials say at least 22 people have been killed in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. Meteorologists say more than 312 millimeters of rain have fallen in the northwest in the last three days.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
