Deadly Rains Claim Over 150 Lives in Pakistan, PoK

Torrential rains and flash floods have killed at least 154 people and injured many others across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the past 24 hours, officials reported on Friday. The deluge, part of an intense monsoon season, devastated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and PoK, destroying infrastructure, blocking major highways, and displacing residents, with fears that the death toll may rise as scores remain missing.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bore the brunt, with 75 deaths in Buner, 18 each in Bajaur and Batagram, 17 in Mansehra, five in Lower Dir, four in Swat, and one in Shangla, according to local officials. “Over 125 people, including children, have died since Thursday night due to cloudbursts and flash floods,” said Faizi, spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Rescue operations, led by Bajaur’s District Emergency Officer Amjad Khan and supported by Pakistan Army teams, are relocating residents from inundated areas in Swat and Bajaur to safer locations. Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur ordered all resources deployed, with Malakand and Bajaur officials overseeing efforts.

In Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghizer district, eight people died, and two are missing as floods damaged over a dozen houses, vehicles, schools, and health units. Major roads, including the Karakoram and Baltistan Highways, are blocked, isolating communities. In PoK’s Neelum Valley, tourists faced disruptions, with over 600 at Ratti Gali lake advised to stay put after a link road was destroyed. Floodwaters washed away bridges over Lawat and Jagran Nullahs, a riverside restaurant, and three houses in Kundal Shahi.

A cloudburst in Jhelum Valley’s Palhot stranded vehicles, prompting a flood warning and plans to evacuate riverside families. In Muzaffarabad, a landslide in Sarli Sacha village buried six family members, while a 26-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman died in Sudhnoti and Bagh districts, respectively, due to flooding and a collapsed home.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor Debate: Amit Shah Slams Congress, Links Pakistan’s Creation to Its ‘Blunder’

Since late June, monsoon rains have caused over 325 deaths, including 142 children, per the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern areas hit hardest by floods, landslides, and displacement. Posts on X highlight public frustration, with some urging emergency declarations and others noting the region’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters. As rescue efforts continue, the crisis underscores Pakistan’s ongoing struggle with extreme weather and inadequate infrastructure.

Also Read: Indian Forces Could’ve Seized PoK, Says Akhilesh Yadav