PESHAWAR – Cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods have caused widespread devastation across several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 176 people have so far lost their lives, while eight deaths have been reported in Azad Kashmir and ten in Gilgit-Baltistan. Flood relief operations by the Pakistan Army and district administrations are underway in the affected regions.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a preliminary report on the loss of life and property caused by heavy rains and flash floods over the past 24 hours.
According to the report, 176 people have died and 15 others have been injured in various incidents. The deceased include 126 men, eight women, and 12 children, while the injured comprise 12 men, two women, and one child.
The PDMA said that a total of 35 houses have been damaged — 28 partially and seven completely destroyed — across several districts, including Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Shangla, and Battagram.
Buner, Bajaur, and Battagram are the most severely affected areas, where rescue operations are still ongoing. The provincial government has deployed two helicopters for rescue efforts in Bajaur and Buner.
The PDMA noted that the current spell of heavy rains is expected to continue intermittently until August 21. All district administrations had been instructed earlier to take precautionary measures. The authority has directed all relevant departments to accelerate relief operations and provide immediate assistance to the affected people.
Additionally, all concerned agencies have been instructed to use every possible resource to restore blocked roads to tourist areas, inform tourists about the weather situation, and take safety measures.
According to the PDMA Director General, the authority is in constant coordination with other departments, rescue teams, district administrations, and Rescue 1122, closely monitoring the situation. The PDMA’s emergency operation center is fully functional, and the public can contact the free helpline 1700 to report emergencies or obtain weather and relief information.
Major losses in Buner — Rescue 1122 spokesperson
Rescue 1122 Buner spokesperson Muhammad Sohail said that torrential rains, destructive floods, and severe storms have caused large-scale human and material losses in various parts of the district. The worst-affected areas are Tehsil Gadizai, Tehsil Daggar, and Tehsil Chagharzai. In Tehsil Gadizai’s Bishuni, Malikpur, Balokhan, and surrounding villages, over 120 bodies have been recovered.
In Tehsil Daggar’s Gokand, Kot, and other locations, 15 deaths have been reported, while more than 100 people — including women and children — have been rescued and moved to safer locations.
In Tehsil Chagharzai’s Gulbandai, Darga Cheena, and nearby areas, severe destruction has been recorded. In one tragic incident, 22 members of the same family were killed when their house collapsed, and many injured were shifted to THQ Gulbandai Hospital.
Rescue 1122 teams are working around the clock in affected areas to provide immediate assistance to survivors and recover the bodies of those killed.
Azad Kashmir
In Azad Kashmir, torrential rains, cloudbursts, and landslides have killed eight people and injured two. Several bridges and guest houses were swept away in Neelum Valley, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded.
Gilgit-Baltistan
In Gilgit-Baltistan, flash floods have claimed ten lives — eight in Ghizer district and two in Diamer. Many roads have been blocked and power supply disrupted.
Relief efforts
The Pakistan Army, Rescue 1122, and district administrations are conducting rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. Helicopters are being used to evacuate stranded individuals to safe locations and deliver food and medicine.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the current spell of rains will continue intermittently until August 21.
