Islamabad: Pakistan continues to reel under the impact of torrential monsoon rains, with the death toll from flash floods climbing to at least 321 within the past two days, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed on Saturday.
The hardest-hit region remains Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where 307 fatalities have been reported, many due to sudden floods and collapsing homes in mountainous terrain. Authorities also recorded nine deaths in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and five in Gilgit-Baltistan, while at least 21 others have sustained injuries.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a fresh heavy rainfall warning for the country’s northwestern belt, urging residents to take precautionary measures as more downpours are expected in the coming hours.
Provincial officials have declared six severely affected districts, Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram, as disaster zones. Rescue operations are being carried out by nearly 2,000 personnel, though progress remains slow.
“Continuous rains, landslides, and washed-away roads have made access extremely difficult. Heavy machinery and ambulances cannot reach remote areas, so our teams are traveling on foot,” said Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s rescue agency.
Despite evacuation calls, many residents are unwilling to leave their homes. “People are staying back because their loved ones are either missing or trapped under debris,” Faizi added.
With forecasts of further rain and the scale of devastation already widespread, authorities fear the death toll could rise in the coming days unless weather conditions improve.
