Monsoon Rains Drain 320 Lives, Pakistan Rescuers Recover Bodies
Northern Pakistan Flash Floods Claim Over 300 Lives
Heavy Monsoon Rains
Intense monsoon rains across northern Pakistan triggered flash floods that have killed at least 321 people in the last 48 hours. The majority of the deaths, 307, were reported in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Rescue Operations
- About 2,000 rescue workers are engaged in recovering bodies from debris and delivering relief in nine affected districts.
- Road closures and landslides have forced rescue teams to travel on foot to reach remote areas.
- Evacuations have been limited as survivors remain trapped in the rubble.
Affected Provinces
The provincial government has declared the following districts as disaster‑hit areas: Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram. A heavy rain alert has been issued by the meteorological department for Pakistan’s northwest for the next few hours, urging precautionary measures.
Additional Casualties
- 9 deaths in Pakistan‑administered Kashmir.
- 5 deaths in the northern Gilgit‑Baltistan region.
- 5 fatalities, including two pilots, in a helicopter crash during a relief mission on Friday.
Historical Context
While the monsoon season supplies up to three‑quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall—vital for agriculture—this year’s early onset and expected late conclusion have intensified flooding. Previous monsoon floods, such as those in 2022, submerged a third of Pakistan, claiming about 1,700 lives. In July, Punjab experienced a 73 % increase in rainfall compared to the prior year.
Personal Accounts
Residents in Buner described the disaster as “doomsday,” with mountains shaking and the ground trembling. In Bajaur, a crowd gathered around an excavator digging through a mud‑soaked hill, while in Swat, roads were submerged, and vehicles half‑buried in mud.
Conclusion
Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with extreme weather events increasing in frequency and intensity, leading to widespread suffering and loss of life.
