More than 300 people have been killed in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir as torrential monsoon rains triggered flash floods and landslides, overwhelming villages and sweeping away homes, officials said Friday.
The latest figures from disaster management authorities put the death toll at 307, with the majority of fatalities recorded in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in north-western Pakistan. At least 74 homes have been destroyed, and rescue efforts suffered a major setback when a government helicopter crashed in bad weather while en route to Bajaur, killing all five crew members.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, nine people were confirmed dead, while five more died in Gilgit-Baltistan. Authorities have declared several areas disaster zones as heavy rains are forecast to continue until August 21.
Survivors described the floods as apocalyptic. “I heard a loud noise as if the mountain was sliding. I rushed outside and saw the entire area shaking, like it was the end of the world,” said Azizullah, a resident of Buner district. “The ground was trembling due to the force of the water, and it felt like death was staring me in the face.”
In Bajaur, photos from AFP showed residents gathering around excavators searching through mud-soaked hillsides, while funeral prayers were held for victims laid out under blankets. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, confirmed a day of mourning in the province.
Across the border in Indian-administered Kashmir, rescuers pulled dozens of bodies from rubble after a Himalayan village was swept away by floods, killing at least 60 people.
Monsoon rains, which run from June to September, typically provide three-quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall but also bring devastation. Pakistan has been particularly hard hit this year, with Punjab province alone recording 73% more rainfall in July compared to last year. Scientists warn that climate change is making such extreme weather events increasingly frequent and deadly.
