ISLAMABAD: The ongoing monsoon season has unleashed devastating floods across Pakistan, claiming at least 234 lives since June 26, with 596 people reported injured and 826 homes damaged, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The relentless rains have not only caused loss of life but have also displaced thousands and left significant damage to infrastructure across the country. In the last 24 hours alone, two men, two women, and eight children lost their lives due to the weather, and ten others were injured.
In addition to human casualties, the storms have caused the death of 203 livestock, contributing to widespread food insecurity. More than 62 rescue operations have been carried out, saving 450 individuals, while 27 relief and medical camps have been set up to provide aid to those affected. Despite these efforts, the NDMA warns that the worst may not be over, as further heavy rainfall is expected in northern and hilly areas, escalating concerns about urban flooding, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
Babusar Tragedy Claims Five Lives
One of the hardest-hit areas is Babusar, in Gilgit-Baltistan, where flash floods triggered by a cloudburst on Monday left five people dead, including four tourists and a local resident. More than a dozen others remain missing. The floods swept away over 30 vehicles, destroying 10 to 15 of them, and left a 7 to 8-kilometer stretch of Babusar Road impassable. Several bridges, mosques, and over 50 homes were also destroyed, while communications were cut off as electricity and fiber optic lines were damaged.
Although the initial rescue efforts were delayed by darkness, they resumed at dawn, and over 200 stranded tourists were rescued and taken to Chilas. Local residents, along with the Pakistan Army, which deployed helicopters and troops, played a pivotal role in evacuating tourists and delivering aid.
Children Hit Hardest by the Disaster
Children have borne the brunt of the crisis, with many of the victims being young. Punjab has been the worst affected province, with 135 deaths reported, including 63 children. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 56 people have died, with 30 of them children. Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Islamabad have also seen fatalities, although the most severe damage has occurred in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Swat, five children lost their lives in separate incidents caused by the rains. In Malam Jabba’s Sur Dherai, two young boys drowned while crossing a stream with their mother. Elsewhere in Gujar Band Shanko, a house collapse killed three children and critically injured a woman. A tragic drowning incident also occurred in Islamabad, where a retired official and his daughter drowned after their car was swept away by floodwaters.
Relief Efforts Intensify
The NDMA has stepped up relief efforts, sending 3,349 essential items to the affected regions, including tents, blankets, sandbags, kitchen sets, and dewatering pumps. To help displaced families, 266 quilts, 76 mattresses, 305 mosquito nets, and 88 tarpaulins have been distributed. Additionally, 153 food packs and 201 gas stoves have been provided for immediate survival needs, along with life jackets, hygiene kits, and jerry cans.
Continued Heavy Rains Predicted
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued warnings for continued heavy rainfall, particularly in northern areas like Swat, Dir, Kohistan, and Murree. Urban flooding remains a significant threat in major cities such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Gujranwala. There is also a risk of landslides in the mountainous areas of Murree, Galliyat, Chitral, and Hunza, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) could cause flooding in valleys like Skardu, Hunza, Astore, and Diamer.
The NDMA has urged all provincial authorities, rescue services, and humanitarian organizations to remain on high alert. Citizens are encouraged to follow official warnings and stay updated via the NDMA Disaster Alert App. The ongoing wet spell has also increased the risk of mudslides, rockfalls, and ground subsidence, further complicating rescue operations in remote areas.
