The death toll from cloudbursts and flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has climbed to 393, as rescue and recovery operations entered their seventh day across the province.

Authorities confirmed that the search for missing persons remains ongoing.

In Buner district, where heavy flooding and landslides wreaked havoc, efforts to clear debris and recover bodies continue even a week after the disaster.

So far, 293 bodies have been retrieved, of which 233 have been identified, according to officials.

District authorities have begun distributing financial compensation cheques among the families of the deceased. Relief efforts, however, remain hampered by limited resources.

Large swathes of Pir Baba bazaar and its adjoining areas remain buried under four to six feet of mud and rocks.

Heavy machinery is being used to remove boulders and sand, but access to remote areas such as Beshonai, Qadir Nagar and Malik Pur remains severely restricted.

The Pakistan Army has stepped up relief operations in Shangla and Buner, reopening a 20-kilometre stretch of road for traffic.

The Pir Baba bypass has also been cleared and opened to all types of vehicles, enabling smoother movement of aid convoys and local residents. Debris removal inside the bazaar is ongoing around the clock.

Tragedy struck again during rescue operations in Malik Pur, when a shovel machine overturned while clearing debris, killing its operator, Ayaz, on the spot.

Despite the challenges of harsh weather, difficult terrain and widespread destruction, local administration, the army, and other agencies remain engaged in continuous rescue and rehabilitation efforts.