Heavy rains, flash floods, and cloudbursts have caused widespread devastation across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), claiming the lives of at least 256 people. According to initial reports from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the worst-affected areas include Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Manshera, Shangla, and Battagram, with Bajaur and Battagram suffering particularly severe damage.
In the last 24 hours alone, KP reported 189 fatalities and 21 injuries. Of the total deaths, 163 were men, 14 were women, and 12 were children. Property damage has also been significant, with seven houses completely destroyed and 38 others partially damaged. The torrential rains triggered flash floods that swept away roads, bridges, and homes, leaving communities isolated and complicating rescue efforts.
Buner district has been hit hardest, with the death toll surpassing 157, as powerful floodwaters triggered multiple accidents. Bajaur has reported 21 fatalities due to lightning strikes and a cloudburst in the Salarzai area, which also caused significant damage to houses and infrastructure. In Lower Dir’s Maidan Sori Makan area, the roof of a house collapsed, killing four people and injuring four others.
Battagram’s Union Council Shamlai experienced flash floods and lightning strikes that destroyed six to eight houses and swept away 30 to 40 residents, ten of whom have been recovered so far. In Shangla, 23 people have died, and eight others were injured due to the floods.
Gilgit-Baltistan has also suffered losses, with at least 12 fatalities reported in Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, and surrounding areas. Muzaffarabad in AJK recorded nine deaths and four injuries, with 54 houses destroyed. Seven people remain missing, and rescue teams are actively searching for victims while working alongside local residents who are assisting in relief efforts.
The government has allocated Rs500 million for flood-hit areas, including Rs150 million for Buner, Rs100 million each for Bajaur, Battagram, and Manshera, and Rs50 million for Swat. Emergency operations have been mobilized, with control rooms established across KP and a health emergency imposed in affected regions. Doctors have been instructed not to take leave and to provide daily reports on patients.
PDMA Director General Asfandyar stated that the floodwaters are moving down from upper mountainous areas, and authorities remain on high alert in districts like Peshawar, Nowshera, and Charsadda. Chief Minister of KP has pledged to deliver relief to the affected population, despite the challenges posed by adverse weather, including the crash of a helicopter carrying relief goods.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that the Prime Minister has directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to coordinate rescue operations and provide advance warnings to provincial governments. Rescue efforts continue amid volatile weather, as authorities work to mitigate further damage and assist affected communities.
