Bashir Ahmed Bilour, a minister in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa province, said many died when flood waters swept away hundreds of mud houses in parts of Swat Valley and the districts of Shangla and Tank.

The floods have also washed away thousands of acres of crops and dozens of government buildings, local businesses and schools, Bilour said.

Pakistani TV showed video of two elderly residents of a local village clinging to tree branches while neck-deep in surging muddy flood waters.

Bilour said flood waters have cut off some of the hardest-hit areas, blocking residents from moving to safety.