Heavy rains wreak havoc in KP as 18 dead, dozens injured amid new rain forecast

• Rain coupled with storm kills 18, injures 72 in KP since March 25 as homes collapse in heavy rains

• Met office warns fresh spell of storms, flash floods from Apr. 1-4 with nationwide death toll rises to 40

• Children account for 14 of the fatalities while Bannu among hardest-hit districts

• Delegates from China, Saudi Arabia, US, and 62 others attend NDMA expo

 

 PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: At least 18 people have been killed and 72 injured in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) since March 25, bringing the nationwide death toll from such events to about 40 this month as authorities on Tuesday forecast more rain in parts of the country starting Wednesday (tomorrow).

According to KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), most casualties were caused by roof and wall collapses during heavy rains across multiple districts, with children accounting for the majority of deaths.

“Due to rains, roofs and walls of houses collapsed in various districts, resulting in 18 deaths and 72 injuries so far,” the PDMA said in a statement.

خیبر پختونخوا کے بالائی اضلاع میں گلاف کا خدشہ، پی ڈی ایم اے کا ہائی الرٹ جاری.#PDMA #GLOFAlert #KhyberPakhtunkhwa #WeatherAlert #DisasterManagement #FlashFlood #Landslide #EmergencyPreparedness @KPChiefMinister @GovernmentKP @kptourism @infokpgovt @CSKPOfficial @Arifulah86 pic.twitter.com/VcVg077QZm

— PDMAKP OFFICIAL (@PDMAKP) March 31, 2026

The country has been grappling with stormy weather in recent weeks, with at least 21 deaths reported in Karachi alone the week before.

The PDMA detailed that among the dead in KP, 14 were children, along with three women and one man, while the injured included 32 men, seven women, and 33 children.

At least 60 houses were damaged in the province, including nine completely destroyed and 51 partially damaged. The incidents were reported in districts including Bannu, Abbottabad, Kohat, Peshawar, Nowshera, Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Kurram, Hangu, Shangla, Buner, Malakand, Upper Dir, Battagram, North Waziristan, and Tank.

Rescue 1122, district administrations, and other agencies have been engaged in relief operations, with local officials directed to expedite assistance to affected families, particularly in the hardest-hit Bannu district.

More rain forecast from April 1 through April 4

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that a westerly weather system is expected to enter southwestern parts of Balochistan from April 1 and persist until April 4, bringing rain, wind, thunderstorms, and hailstorms to several parts of the country.

The Met Office also cautioned about possible flash floods in northeastern Balochistan and landslides in vulnerable areas of KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir during the forecast period.

Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from vulnerable tourist areas, warning that strong winds, lightning, and hail could damage weak structures and crops.

Pakistan, among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, has in recent years experienced increasingly erratic weather, including heatwaves, droughts, untimely rains, and floods.

 

Pakistan, 64 countries explore stronger disaster management cooperation

In related development, Pakistan and foreign delegates from China, Saudi Arabia, the US, and 62 other countries expressed strong interest in enhancing cooperation on proactive disaster management and capacity development, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday.

Delegates belonging to 65 countries comprising ambassadors, deputy heads of mission, senior diplomats of foreign countries including forty Pakistan's missions aboard visited National Emergencies Operation Center at NDMA Headquarters in Islamabad today@ndmapk #News #RadioPakistan…

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) March 31, 2026

Ambassadors, deputy heads of mission, and senior diplomats from 65 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China, Syria, Germany, the UK, Canada, and others, attended the “Strategic Appraisal and Capabilities” exposition organized by NDMA at the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) in Islamabad.

Despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is among the worst-affected countries due to climate change. In recent years, it has faced devastating consequences of erratic weather, including heatwaves, droughts, torrential rains, and floods.

During the exposition, foreign delegates were briefed on NDMA’s Disaster Early Warning (DEW-2) system, which forecasts potential hazards and climatic risks for the next three months.

“They expressed keen interest in strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation with NDMA in early warning systems, disaster preparedness, and capacity development,” NDMA said in a statement.

NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Inam Haider Malik outlined Pakistan’s transition to a proactive, technology-driven disaster management system, highlighting how homegrown platforms enable anticipatory action, informed decision-making, and coordinated responses.

Delegates praised Pakistan’s advances in proactive disaster management, emphasizing the role of technology, regional cooperation, and knowledge sharing in mitigating climate-related disasters.

They were also introduced to Pakistan Disaster Lens 2026, the authority’s flagship platform providing high-resolution forecasts and risk analytics for precision-based preparedness.

Pakistan has increasingly sought international collaboration to tackle climate challenges, as heavy rainfall and flash floods during the 2025 monsoon season killed 1,037 people and injured 1,067 between June and October, according to official figures.