ISLAMABAD: The flash floods triggered by monsoon rains have continued to wreak havoc in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as disaster management authorities have reported 23 rain-related deaths and six injuries.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), following fresh incidents, the nationwide death toll due to flash floods has reached 243, with 598 people injured.
The NDMA and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) reported that during the past 24 hours, flooding claimed 10 lives in KPK province—six in Swat, two in Bajaur, and one each in Buner and Upper Kohistan.
Flash floods claim eight more lives
Two people were killed in Jacobabad district of Sindh, and five were swept away in flash floods following a cloudburst in the Babusar area of Diamer district, G-B, where one person was also injured and up to eight kilometres of road was washed away, cutting off communication between G-B and the rest of the country.
According to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Diamer, at least 15 people are still missing, while authorities, in collaboration with locals, have rescued the victims and provided free accommodation and food.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) AJK also reported a cloudburst in district Neelum, damaging several houses. One person was killed in Muzaffarabad district due to house collapse, and five people died in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) as a result of drowning.
Authorities also reported damage to 50 houses in flood-affected areas—20 houses were partially damaged in ICT; 12 in AJK, including 11 in Sudhnoti and one in Muzaffarabad; 10 in KPK, including eight in Chitral and one each in Shangla and Swat; and eight in Ghizer district of G-B.
So far, the floodwaters have damaged a total of 854 houses—645 partially and 209 fully. Flooding also resulted in the deaths of 208 livestock: 85 in Sindh, 68 in KPK, 34 in Punjab, 16 in G-B, and five in AJK.
According to the NDMA, due to continued rain-related incidents, 135 people lost their lives in Punjab and 470 were injured; in KPK, 56 were killed and 71 injured; in Sindh, 24 died and 40 were injured; in Balochistan, 16 deaths and four injuries were reported; in AJK, two deaths and eight injuries; in G-B, five deaths and four injuries; and in Islamabad, one injury was reported.
NDMA data shows that children have been the most vulnerable to monsoon rains—out of the 221 total deaths, 116 were children, 83 men, and 43 women. Among the injured, 199 were children, 232 men, and 167 women.
Most of the houses were damaged in KPK, where 230 houses were affected—150 partially and 80 fully; in Punjab, 168 were partially damaged; in Sindh, 87 houses were damaged—54 partially and 33 fully; in G-B, 145—76 partially and 69 fully; in AJK, 104—86 partially and 18 fully; in Balochistan, 64—56 partially and eight fully; and in ICT, 56—55 partially and one fully. The flooding has also damaged 12 bridges and washed away 18.5 kilometres of roads, most of them in the G-B region.
The NDMA, in an official alert, has warned all concerned authorities to remain on high alert and take immediate precautionary measures to avert any untoward situation.
Authorities and residents in vulnerable areas have been urged to stay informed and follow evacuation or safety advisories if issued. The NDMA has advised people across all affected regions to take precautionary measures—particularly in flood-prone and low-lying areas.
Residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, secure belongings and livestock, park vehicles in safe locations, and stay away from weak structures, signboards, and electricity poles during storms.
Tourists are strongly discouraged from visiting mountainous and high-altitude regions during this period.
Citizens are strongly advised to follow official advisories, take precautionary measures, and download the Pakistan NDMA Disaster Alert App for real-time updates, alerts, and safety guidance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025