PDMA warns of more rains after 313 dead in K-P floods
A man sits next to damaged houses following heavy rain and floods in Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, August 16, 2025. Photo: Reuters
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa issued a high alert Saturday, warning of intensified monsoon rains from August 17 to 19, after flash floods and heavy downpours killed at least 313 people and injured 156 others in the past 48 hours.
The deluge hit the remote mountainous northern part of the province, with cloud bursts, flash floods, lightning strikes and landslides in the deadliest downpour of this year’s monsoon season.
Buner was the worst-hit district with 184 fatalities, followed by Shangla with 36, Bajaur 21, Mansehra 23, Swat 22, Battagram 15, Lower Dir five, and Abbottabad one, according to PDMA.
According to a statement from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the death toll has reached 313, with 156 people injured so far.
A screengrab from the PDMA report dated Aug 16, 2025, outlines rain-related incidents and casualties across KP over the past 48 hours.
The casualties include 263 men, 29 women, and 21 children among the deceased, while the injured comprise 123 men, 23 women, and 10 children, the PDMA added.
The statement further noted significant infrastructure losses, with 62 houses completely destroyed and 97 partially damaged. Several schools and bridges were also swept away in multiple districts.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi said there was a cloudburst in Buner early on Friday, creating a torrent of water that swept down to the villages below. "There was no time for anyone to react," Faizi said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the destruction caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in K-P and northern parts of the country.
In a post on X, he offered condolences to the bereaved families and said the nation stood in solidarity with those affected.
I am deeply anguished by the devastation caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in KP and northern Pakistan. My heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in this hour of grief. The Government is mobilising all…
He added that the government was mobilising all available resources to support rescue and relief efforts.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that civilian and military teams were carrying out rescue and relief operations, while the prime minister had chaired an emergency meeting.
Provincial Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah said that local officials had been dispatched to the flooded areas to supervise relief operations and assess the damage.
He said medical camps were being set up for the flood victims, along with arrangements to provide food for families who lost their homes.
Heavy rains ahead; PDMA issues high alert
The PDMA K-P on Satuday issued a high alert in view of the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s forecast of intensified monsoon activity in various parts of the province from August 17 to 19.
According to a statement issued by PDMA, several districts of the province are likely to receive intermittent heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds, thunderstorms, and in some areas, torrential downpours.
The districts at risk include Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat, Chitral, Dir, Malakand, Kohistan, Buner, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Mohmand, Orakzai, Lakki Marwat, and both North and South Waziristan.
محکمہ موسمیات کی شدید طوفانی بارش کی پیشگوئی#Rain #Weather #ExpressNews #BreakingNews #LatestUpdates #Thunderstormforecast #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/MebNADDxRZ
The authority warned of possible flash floods in vulnerable areas, especially due to heavy rainfall, which could trigger a rise in water levels in local streams, seasonal nullahs, and rivers. There is also a heightened risk of landslides in mountainous regions and urban flooding in low-lying urban centres.
Strong winds and thunderstorms may damage weak structures, electricity poles, billboards, and solar panels, the PDMA cautioned.
All district administrations have been directed to take precautionary measures, ensure the clearance of drainage systems, and provide timely updates and warnings to local communities, tourists, and commuters.
Emergency declared in worst-hit areas
The K-P Relief Department has issued an emergency notification in response to the ongoing monsoon rains and flooding across several districts.
Emergency has been declared in the districts of Swat, Battagram, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, and Kohistan. According to the notification, Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts have been directed to immediately initiate relief and rescue operations.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has been tasked with providing necessary machinery and relief goods to the affected areas.
Residents gather at the site of a damaged bridge following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Kashmir, August 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS
The Relief Department stated that urgent assistance will be extended to the impacted populations. The emergency will remain in effect from August 15 to August 31, 2025.
Meanwhile, rescue operations are under way in Buner, where efforts continue across three tehsils.
Reports suggest several people are trapped under debris, a rescue spokesperson said. The operation continued throughout the night, and debris removal has begun in the affected areas.
Source: Reuters
Moreover, flood relief operations by the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps are ongoing in Buner, Swat, and Bajaur. Army teams remain engaged in relief activities in flood-hit districts. Helicopters are delivering rations and other essential supplies, while evacuations to safe locations are under way.
Flood relief operation
Additional contingents of the Pakistan Army have reached Buner to reinforce ongoing relief operations in flood-affected districts.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Army Corps of Engineers is deploying specialised equipment to recover injured individuals and bodies trapped under mud.
Helicopters are being used to deliver rations and other essential supplies, while residents from inundated areas are being evacuated to safer locations.
The army stated that the operation would continue until all affected people are rescued and relocated to secure shelters.
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
Similarly, following the collapse of a critical bridge connecting Bajaur and Dir due to flooding, the Pakistan Army has initiated work on the installation of a new bridge.
Troops from the Army’s Corps of Engineers, equipped with the necessary machinery and supplies, have been dispatched to Bajaur to begin the construction process.
According to military officials, the installation of the new bridge is expected to be completed within a few days. The engineering units will continue working round the clock to ensure timely completion.
Once the new bridge is constructed by the Pakistan Army, the severed link between Bajaur and Dir will be immediately restored.
National response mobilised
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has dispatched a team to Peshawar to oversee relief operations in flood-hit areas of K-P, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read: Deadly deluge devastates K-P
According to NDMA, full support is being provided to the provincial government, including the supply of relief goods. The NDMA chairman briefed the prime minister on the situation last evening.
NDMA said it is in constant coordination with civil and military institutions and is monitoring ongoing relief efforts round-the-clock. It warned of an increased risk of landslides in northern areas due to expected rains and urged people to remain cautious. Tourists have been advised to avoid traveling to the region for the next five to six days.
COAS issues directives for rehabilitation of flood victims
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has issued instructions for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people in K-P, Radio Pakistan reported.
COAS has directed that military personnel deployed in the province fully assist in rehabilitation efforts. Additional troops are also being dispatched for the purpose.
Pakistan Army has donated one day’s salary for rehabilitation and allocated one day’s ration — amounting to over 600 tons — for flood victims in the province.
The Corps of Engineers has been instructed to expedite the repair of damaged bridges and establish temporary ones where required.
The Army’s 9th Unit Rescue Sniffing Dog Unit is being deployed for search and rescue operations, while the Special Urban Search and Rescue Team has also been sent on the directives of the COAS.
ETEA postpones exam
All Education Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) tests scheduled for today in flood-affected areas of Upper and Lower Dir, as well as Chitral, have been postponed.
The examinations could not be held due to heavy rains and flooding in the affected districts, according to ETEA officials
The ETEA Director said that new dates for the postponed tests will be announced later, adding that all decisions will be made keeping in view the convenience of students once the situation improves.
Chopper crashes in bad weather
A K-P government helicopter delivering flood relief supplies crashed in a tribal district yesterday, killing all five crew members, provincial officials said.
The MI-17 aircraft went down in Mohmand district while en route to the flood-hit Salarzai area of Bajaur district, after losing contact in bad weather, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur told reporters. The dead included two pilots.
Search teams later located the wreckage in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand, CM Gandapur said, confirming there were no survivors. The provincial government declared a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast, and said the crew would be buried with full state honours.
"These individuals lost their lives while helping others during this crisis," the chief minister said. "Their sacrifice will be remembered."