ISLAMABAD — Flash floods triggered by days of heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 243 people across Pakistan, officials said Saturday, with dozens more missing and the toll expected to rise.
The worst devastation was reported in Buner district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where floodwaters swept away entire villages on Friday, killing 157 people. Authorities declared a state of emergency as rescuers in boats and helicopters struggled to reach stranded families. More than 100 bodies have been taken to local hospitals.
In neighboring Mansehra district, emergency crews worked overnight to save nearly 2,000 tourists trapped in the Siran Valley by flash floods and landslides.
Relief efforts suffered a major setback when a helicopter carrying aid supplies crashed in Bajaur due to bad weather, killing all five on board, including two pilots.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to prioritize evacuations of affected residents and stranded travelers. The NDMA has also warned of possible glacial lake outburst floods in northern Pakistan and advised people to avoid risky mountain routes.
Since June 26, rain-related disasters have killed at least 556 people nationwide, according to NDMA figures. In Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan, repeated floods and landslides have blocked sections of the Karakoram Highway, further hampering rescue operations.
Experts warn that extreme downpours and cloudbursts are becoming more frequent due to climate change. A recent study cited by the Associated Press found that this year’s monsoon rainfall in Pakistan has been 10–15% heavier because of global warming.
Pakistan endured its worst monsoon disaster in 2022, when catastrophic floods killed more than 1,700 people and caused damage worth billions of dollars.
