By Admin • Sat Aug 16 2025
The death toll from relentless monsoon rains, floods, and landslides in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir has surged past 307, according to official figures, with more casualties feared as heavy rains continue.
The hardest-hit region is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where disaster authorities reported the majority of fatalities. At least 74 homes were destroyed, while tragedy struck during relief efforts when a military rescue helicopter crashed due to poor weather, killing all five crew members on board.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, at least nine people have lost their lives, while another five deaths were reported in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. Officials have warned of more rainfall until 21 August, with several districts already declared disaster zones.
Survivors described the scene as apocalyptic. In Buner, one resident told AFP:
“I heard a roar as if the mountain was collapsing. The ground shook like it was the end of the world. The force of the water made it feel as if death itself was upon us.”
Meanwhile, in Bajaur, mourners gathered for funeral prayers near a hill where excavators searched through mud and debris for more victims.
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declared a day of mourning to honor the victims.
Across the border, in Indian-administered Kashmir, flash floods swept through a Himalayan village, leaving at least 60 people dead and dozens missing. Rescuers continued to recover bodies from the mud and rubble on Friday.
The monsoon season, which runs from June to September, typically delivers three-quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall. But this year has been particularly devastating. In Punjab province, home to nearly half of Pakistan’s 255 million population, July alone brought 73% more rain than the same period last year — along with a higher death toll than the entire previous monsoon season.
Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather across the region, making floods, landslides, and heavy rains increasingly destructive.