Monetoring Desk: Pakistan continues to grapple with the catastrophic impact of monsoon floods triggered by a sudden cloudburst in the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The death toll has soared above 700, with more than 25,000 people evacuated. Authorities have restored roughly 70% of electricity, reopened key roads, and mobilized military resources—including helicopters, engineers, and medical teams—to support rescue and relief operations.
The government has also come under criticism for not issuing timely evacuation warnings.
Rescue efforts resumed on Tuesday across northern Pakistan as the death toll from five days of relentless monsoon rains climbed to almost 400. Authorities have warned that heavy downpours are expected to continue through the weekend, heightening fears of further devastation.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 356 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province since Thursday evening. Dozens more perished in surrounding regions, as landslides and floods swept away entire villages, leaving scores missing and thousands homeless.
In Dalori village, rescuers dug through layers of mud and stone, searching for survivors and the bodies of those still unaccounted for. Villagers stood in silence, many weeping and praying as the grim task unfolded.
Umar Islam, a 31-year-old laborer, broke down as he recalled losing his father to the floods. “Our misery is beyond explanation,” he said. “In a matter of minutes, we lost everything we had.”
Another survivor, Fazal Akbar, 37, described the floods as “terrifying.” He explained that announcements from the mosque urged villagers to begin rescues, but within just 20 minutes, “our village was reduced to ruins.”
The catastrophe has crippled infrastructure. Roads remain blocked, communications are disrupted, and rescuers are struggling to reach remote areas. Meanwhile, southern Pakistan, previously spared, has also begun to experience heavy rainfall. In Karachi, crumbling drainage systems triggered urban flooding, power cuts, and traffic chaos.
The NDMA reported that since the onset of the monsoon in late June, more than 700 people have lost their lives nationwide, with nearly 1,000 injured. The rains are expected to persist until mid-September.
Pakistan, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, continues to endure the brunt of extreme weather. The memory of 2022—when a third of the country was submerged and 1,700 lives were lost—remains painfully fresh, now mirrored by yet another unfolding tragedy.
