Torrential monsoon rains have unleashed catastrophic flooding across Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, claiming at least 344 lives in two days according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Rescue teams continue battling rising waters and debris to reach survivors in what officials describe as one of the region's worst weather-related disasters this year.
Flash floods accounted for 90% of fatalities, with collapsing structures causing 6.4% of deaths, the NDMA reported Saturday. Eleven districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain under emergency alerts as lightning strikes and raging waters displace communities and destroy critical infrastructure.
"Dozens remain trapped under rubble while others were swept away by the currents," said Bilal Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122 KP, highlighting the urgency of ongoing operations. Provincial authorities confirm 378 monsoon-related deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since June, with Punjab province reporting 164 fatalities.
Nationwide, the monsoon season has killed 634 people and destroyed 1,887 homes, exposing vulnerabilities in flood-prone regions. Southern Sindh and northern Gilgit-Baltistan regions reported 28 and 24 deaths respectively, while Islamabad and other provinces recorded 40 casualties.
As climate patterns intensify across South Asia, this disaster underscores the growing human and economic costs of extreme weather events in vulnerable communities.
