Death Toll in Pakistan Floods Rises Above 800

The death toll in the massive flooding in Pakistan surged past 800 as floodwaters receded today in the hard-hit northwest, an official said. The damage to roads, bridges, and communications networks hindered rescuers, while the threat of disease loomed as some evacuees arrived in camps with fever, diarrhea, and skin problems.

Monsoon rains come every year, but rarely with such fury. Buildings simply crumbled into the raging river in Kalam, a town in the northern part of the Swat Valley. Reports coming in from districts around the northwest, where such flooding has not been seen since 1929, showed at least 800 people had died. (More Pakistan stories.)