Pakistan flash floods: over 300 dead as towns submerged

More than 300 people are dead in north-west Pakistan after two days of intense rains and floods,local officials said on Saturday. 307 people were confirmed dead, with more missing, in the hills and mountains of the region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.Rivers and streams overflowed, flooding roads and homes, uprooting trees, and leaving widespread destruction in their path. The torrential rains also triggered landslides, washing away roads and cutting off connectivity in several areas. Visuals shared on social media show houses submerged, streets turned into waterways, cars floating, and rescue workers struggling to carry out relief operations amid the chaos.

بونیر اور سوات کی موجودہ صورتحال

Weather Updates PK 2.0 - Jawad Memon / #pakistandoppler pic.twitter.com/9uNNF9wnSc

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Buner district was among the country's worst-hit, with 184 killed and widespread damage to infrastructure, crops, and orchards, local officials said. In another area, Shangla, the collapse of the roof of a building due to the downpour caused many of the 36 deaths followed by Mansehra with 23, Swat 22, Bajaur 21, Battagram 15, Lower Dir five, while a child drowned in Abbottabad. In Swat district, over 2,000 people were evacuated to safer locations as rivers and streams swelled, Reuters reported, citing officials. Rescue efforts and clearing of blocked roads were ongoing with the release of emergency funds, they said, adding that the heavy rains would continue until August 21.

Flash floods and heavy rain swept through northwest Pakistan, killing nearly 200 people as well as five crew members of a rescue helicopter, all within 24 hours https://t.co/NySUVyAq0S pic.twitter.com/7pv2UBwR4y

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 16, 2025

Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said that civilian and military teams were carrying out rescue and relief operations, while the prime minister had chaired an emergency meeting. Since late June, the beginning of monsoon season, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern regions deadly floods, landslides, and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.