Pakistan: 33 Dead, 25 Missing After Floods and Landslides

Islamabad – At least 33 people have lost their lives and 25 remain missing after torrential rains and a cloudburst triggered severe floods and landslides across several districts in northwestern Pakistan, officials said on Friday, according to local media reports.

The disaster struck multiple parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where floodwaters swept through villages, destroying homes and cutting off roads. Rescue 1122 reported 16 fatalities, three injuries, and seven people still missing in the province, The Express Tribune said.

Local residents joined rescue teams in recovering bodies and assisting the injured from the debris and floodwaters. Search operations are underway with medical teams, divers, and specialised units deployed. First aid was given to the injured at the scene before they were transferred to hospitals. Efforts, however, are hampered by landslides and damaged infrastructure.

In Dir Lower district’s Sori Paw area, five members of one family died when their house collapsed during heavy rains, while four others were injured. In Battagram district, 10 people were killed and 18 remain missing after floodwaters destroyed several homes. In Mansehra’s Basiyaan region, two people died and one was injured when a car was swept away by floods. Bajaur district also saw multiple homes destroyed, forcing residents to evacuate.

Landslides have been reported in other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB). At least 10 people died in PoGB due to landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains, Geo News reported. In Ghizer district’s Khalthi valley, three people, including a woman, were killed and three others remain missing after more than six houses were buried under debris.

In Diamer’s Bonar area, a brother and sister were swept away by floods, while a child was injured in a landslide on Babusar road. Severe destruction was reported in Thor, Diamer, while travel was disrupted on the Baltistan and Sadpara roads. A bridge on the Karakoram Highway in Kohistan was damaged by floods, according to Geo News.

Nationwide, the ongoing monsoon spell — which began on June 26 — has claimed 343 lives and injured over 740 people, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported. Punjab province has been the worst affected, with 164 deaths and more than 582 injuries.

With inputs from IANS