At least 33 people have died and 25 are missing after heavy rains and a cloudburst triggered floods and landslides in several districts of northwestern Pakistan, officials said on Friday.
Disaster struck several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province, leaving behind a trail of destruction as rescue teams battled difficult terrain and weather conditions.
In Bajaur District’s Salarzai and Jabrayi areas, torrents of floodwater swept through villages, destroying homes and cutting off access roads. K-P Rescue 1122 reported that 16 people lost their lives, three were injured and seven remain missing.
Read: Rain fury devastates K-P
Local residents assisted rescue teams in retrieving the deceased and injured from debris and water. Search operations are ongoing with medical, diving, and other teams deployed at the site.
Medical teams provided first aid on-site before transferring the injured to nearby hospitals, while divers and specialized rescue units were deployed to aid search operations.
Officials confirmed that relief work is being carried out continuously despite challenges posed by landslides and damaged infrastructure.
Read more: At least 10 dead as flash floods wreak havoc in AJK, G-B
In Dir Lower district’s Sori Paw area, five members of a household died when their home collapsed under heavy rain. Four others were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, Battagram district was among the hardest hit, with 10 people killed and 18 reported missing after floodwaters washed away several houses.
In Mansehra’s Basiyaan area, two people died and another was injured when a car was swept away by a sudden flood.
Authorities said the floodwaters in Bajaur destroyed multiple houses, and in some areas, residents were forced to evacuate. Landslides have also been reported in other parts of K-P and Gilgit-Baltistan, disrupting travel and slowing relief efforts.
K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered immediate deployment of all available resources for rescue and relief, directing the Malakand commissioner and deputy commissioner to supervise operations.
Also read: Another monsoon wave to hit this week
He also instructed district administrations, especially in Dir and Swat, to remain on high alert and ensure protective measures to safeguard lives and property.
Contact lost with K-P relief helicopter
A provincial government MI-17 relief helicopter, carrying aid to the flood-hit Salarzai area of Bajaur, has lost contact, said in a press release from K-P's CM secretariat.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said the helicopter lost communication while in the airspace of Mohmand district due to severe weather conditions.
"All possible efforts are under way to re-establish contact with the helicopter," the chief minister stated, adding that he had ordered teams to be dispatched to the area without delay.
The provincial government’s second helicopter is currently engaged in rescue operations in Buner district, he said.
The relief helicopter was carrying three relief workers with goods.
The nationwide death toll from the ongoing monsoon spell, which began on June 26, has risen to 343, with over 740 people injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Eastern Punjab province remains the worst hit, with 164 deaths and over 582 injuries.
Heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pothohar region and North-East Punjab during the forecast period.#WeatherAlert #PakistanWeather #StormPreparedness #monsoon #RainAlert #StaySafeStayPrepared pic.twitter.com/yGjzFw2bd9
— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) August 15, 2025
Monsoon rains, lasting from June to September, frequently cause widespread damage across Pakistan, but experts say their severity has increased in recent years, making rescue and relief efforts more urgent and complex.
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