PESHAWAR: Torrential rains, cloudbursts, and flash floods have wreaked devastation across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), claiming at least 330 lives, injuring dozens, and leaving many missing.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s districts of Battagram, Bajaur, and Mansehra, cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides have claimed 307 lives and injured dozens people, while many remain missing.
According to the PDMA, the dead include 279 men, 13 children, and 15 women, while the injured comprise 17 men, four women, and two child. Heavy rains and flash floods damaged 45 houses — seven completely and 38 partially — along with three schools.
The PDMA said incidents occurred in Bajaur, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra, Swat, Buner, and Shangla, with Bajaur and Battagram suffering the worst damage, where rescue operations are still underway.
PDMA had earlier issued weather alerts to all district administrations, directing precautionary measures. Given the current situation, it has ordered relief work to be accelerated and immediate assistance provided to the affected population. Authorities have also been instructed to use all available resources to reopen blocked tourist routes and restore disconnected roads.
Buner Deputy Commissioner Kashif Qayyum said floods in Gokand, Gadezai, and Pir Baba caused massive destruction, killing 213 people. Bodies have been shifted to THQ Pir Baba and DHQ Daggar. A district-wide emergency has been declared.
The worst-hit areas were Salarzai and Jabarai in Bajaur district, where cloudbursts and lightning strikes killed at least 21 people and injured many others. Entire houses were washed away, multiple villages submerged, and seven people remain missing. Rescue 1122 teams, along with locals, are engaged in relief operations.
In the border village of Neil Band between Battagram and Mansehra, a cloudburst around 3am Thursday swept away 3 to 4 homes. Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Khan reported that the death toll has risen to 18. Rescue workers, revenue staff, and volunteers from Alkhidmat Foundation are participating in search efforts.
Local resident Noor Qadeem Shah said villagers recovered nine bodies from nearby areas, while about 20 people are still missing. Floodwaters swept away small wooden footbridges and livestock, and damaged connecting roads and small hydropower turbines.
So far, 10 bodies have been recovered from the Shimlai Mandrowali area. Search operations continue with the help of Rescue 1122 teams, police, and local volunteers.
In Basyan, Mansehra, a flash flood swept away a car carrying six people; three were killed, while three survived. Several houses were destroyed, and livestock losses are being assessed.
In Maidan Suri Pao, Lower Dir, a house roof collapsed during heavy rains, trapping multiple people under debris. Despite difficult terrain and flooding, rescue teams trekked for three hours to reach the site. Seven people were pulled from the rubble—five dead and two injured.
In GB, floods claimed 10 lives—eight in Ghizer district and two siblings in Diamer. Roads were blocked and power supply disrupted, though some routes have been restored.
In AJK, eight people died and two were injured due to heavy rains and landslides. Multiple bridges, roads, and houses were destroyed. In Neelum Valley, a cloudburst swept away several bridges and guesthouses, stranding hundreds of tourists, many of whom have since been rescued.
In Swat, heavy rain caused rivers and streams to overflow, flooding homes and submerging roads. In Islam Pura Road Shagai, several vehicles were trapped in floodwaters. In Shigar, glacier melt triggered flooding that damaged multiple villages.
At least 10 people, including a youth, died and 13 were injured. District authorities reported rescuing 900 children trapped in schools and evacuating women stranded in homes to safer locations.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in rain-related incidents in the province.
The Pakistan Army, Rescue 1122, and district administrations are conducting rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. Helicopters are being used to evacuate stranded individuals to safe locations and deliver food and medicine.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the current spell of rains will continue intermittently until August 21.
In Azad Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, floodwaters swept away six connecting bridges built over the river, claiming lives of 11 people. The deaths include six member of the same family who lost their lives in Muzaffarabad a cloudburst.
On the other hand, floodwaters caused destruction in various areas of Gilgit-Baltistan whre five bridges were swept away by the river in Skardu, while several people were washed away in the Ochhar stream in Chilas — 10 have been confirmed dead so far.
The Meteorological Department has forecast more rain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, upper Punjab, northeastern and southern Balochistan, southeastern Sindh, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to the Met Office, heavy rain is expected tonight at some places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Potohar region, Kashmir, and adjoining hilly areas, while on Saturday, heavy showers are likely at some locations in upper KP, Potohar, and Kashmir.
Tomorrow evening or night, northeastern and southern Balochistan, southern Punjab, and southeastern Sindh may also experience rain with strong winds and thunderstorms.
The forecast warns that more rains could cause flooding in local streams and nullahs in upper KP, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Potohar, and northeastern Punjab.
In mountainous areas of KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galliyat, and Kashmir, landslides from heavy rains could disrupt traffic. The department also warned that heavy rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms could damage weak infrastructure, mud houses and walls, electricity poles, billboards, vehicles, and solar panels.
Over the next 24 hours, rain is possible at some locations in Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kurram, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Hangu, and Waziristan.
