Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains have claimed the lives of at least 194 people in northern Pakistan, with 180 fatalities reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and additional deaths in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The ongoing disaster, compounded by damaged infrastructure and disrupted communications, has prompted nationwide emergency relief efforts, including the tragic crash of a KP government helicopter during a rescue operation.
Flash floods and cloudbursts have caused widespread devastation in northern Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), where nearly 200 lives have been lost. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that at least 180 people have died in KP, along with 5 in GB and 9 in AJK. Many others have been injured, and the death toll is expected to rise as floodwaters continue to surge across the affected regions.
The NDMA’s report indicated that the victims include 158 men, 19 women, and 17 children, with 28 additional individuals reported as injured. The floods have also destroyed homes, with significant damage to infrastructure, including 116 houses across the affected areas. As communications have been severed in many places, authorities are struggling to reach isolated communities.
Adding to the devastation, a KP government helicopter carrying relief supplies to Bajaur’s Salarzai area crashed while flying over Mohmand district, killing all five people on board. The tragedy highlights the severe challenges rescue teams are facing in delivering aid to affected regions. In Buner, the situation remains dire, with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan warning that entire villages have been wiped out, roads destroyed, and infrastructure collapsed.
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In response to the growing crisis, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the NDMA to launch comprehensive relief operations in the affected provinces. Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, emphasized that the federal government is fully committed to supporting local governments in KP and AJK, with a special coordination cell established to ensure timely and efficient aid distribution.
The destruction caused by the floods in GB and AJK has been catastrophic, particularly in the Neelum Valley, where floodwaters washed away bridges and claimed lives, including six members of the same family in Muzaffarabad. In GB, flash floods have ravaged homes, crops, and infrastructure, particularly in the Ghizer and Diamer districts, where landslides have further disrupted relief efforts.
Electricity supply in Swat has been severely impacted, with floodwaters damaging transformers and poles. The Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (PESCO) has dispatched emergency staff to restore power.
The Pakistan Army’s flood relief operation is actively ongoing, focusing on evacuations, the delivery of food and medicines, and assisting those displaced by the floods. In response, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi called for unity, urging all parties to work together to save lives and provide aid where necessary.
As the situation continues to evolve, the provincial governments, along with federal agencies and the military, are working around the clock to coordinate relief efforts, providing shelter, medical care, and essential supplies to the displaced population.
