PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Rescuers are looking for more than 150 people who were still missing on Monday in northwestern Pakistan, where scores died after the area was struck by a cloudburst. A senior politician blamed locals for the high death toll, saying people should have built their homes elsewhere.

Northwest Pakistan has been hit by flash floods resulting from heavy rains, killing over 300 people. Rescue operations were temporarily halted but have since resumed. The intense weather has also caused mud and rock slides,

Torrential rains triggered more flash floods in two villages in the Kathua district of Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing at least seven people and injuring five others overnight, officials said.