Torrential rains, lightning, and flash floods have wreaked havoc across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving at least 328 people dead and 23 injured, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The majority of casualties were reported in Buner, Battagram and Mansehra, where entire families were swept away or buried under rubble. According to the PDMA report, the victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa included 279 men, 15 women and 13 children.
Buner suffers the heaviest losses
Buner has emerged as the most devastated district, with 213 deaths, including 150 in Gadezai Tehsil and 25 in Dagar. In one tragic incident, 22 members of the same family were buried alive when their house collapsed in Chagharzai.
Rescue 1122 teams have set up medical camps in the district while heavy machinery is being used to reopen blocked roads. Despite round-the-clock efforts, officials say reaching remote villages remains extremely difficult.
Battagram and Mansehra hit by floods
In Battagram’s UC Shamlai, 30 to 40 people were swept away by flash floods, while horrific scenes were also reported from Mansehra. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in various districts of the province on the instructions of the chief minister, with local administration and volunteers working alongside provincial authorities.
Provincial government response
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has declared a day of mourning, with the national flag flying at half-mast at the Chief Minister's Secretariat and Governor House.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had announced a one-day mourning yesterday over the loss of human lives.
The chief minister also approved Rs500 million in emergency funds for relief and rehabilitation, while personally supervising operations. He is also in touch with the elected representatives and all the institutions, his spokesperson said.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir also devastated
In Gilgit-Baltistan, floods and landslides caused massive destruction. Landslide on Skardu Road killed a tourist killed, as per the GB government spokesperson. Faizullah Faraq said all institutions have started work to restore highways, while tents and relief materials have been delivered to the flood victims.
The historic Surmon Steel Bridge, as well as many communication bridges in Ganche, was washed away in the Shyok River, while villages such as Haldi were left homeless. Water entered houses after the safety embankment broke in Ghurse village
Power systems collapsed after the Bale Gowand Power House was submerged.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, roads and bridges in Muzaffarabad were destroyed, cutting off access for nearly 100,000 people. Connectivity of several areas has been cut off due to destruction of roads. Residents urged authorities to urgently restore connectivity, as there has been difficulty in transporting food and other goods in the affected areas.
Moreover, intermittent rains continue across Neelum Valley. Restoration work is ongoing on Jagran and Ratti Gali link roads damaged by cloudburst, as three connecting bridges on Jagran drain have been submerged by floodwaters.
More rainfall has been predicted in Neelum Valley, while tourists, as well as Azad Kashmir’s information minister trapped at Ratti Gali base camp are being rescued. There's a low-level flood reported in the Neelum River.
Rising river levels across Punjab and KP
The flooding threat is not limited to the north. In Bahawalnagar, water levels in the Sutlej River at Head Sulemanki continued to rise, increasing the risk of a low-level flood. Water inflow at Head Sulemanki is 56,792 cusecs, while outflow is 47,635 cusecs, rescue officials stated.
Similarly, Kalabagh and Haripur reported surging inflows in the Indus River and Tarbela Dam, with a moderate flood reported at Kalabagh, prompting officials to open spillways at Tarbela and place local administrations on high alert.
District administrations have urged residents, particularly fishermen and livestock keepers, to evacuate from riverbanks and move to safer ground.
Rescue efforts continue despite challenges
Authorities say 74 houses have been affected, including 11 completely destroyed and 63 partially. Relief operations remain ongoing in Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Shangla and Swat, with medical teams, food supplies and tents being delivered to displaced families.
The chief minister’s spokesperson stressed that all institutions are fully engaged: “Our rescue personnel are reaching remote areas, roads are being reopened, and medical facilities are being set up in the most affected districts.”
