Flash floods devastate K-P as expert warns of weak preparedness

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Thursday reported that recent rains and flash floods have killed 393 people and injured 190 across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as temperatures begin to ease and further rainfall is forecast in several districts.

The agency said those killed included 300 men, 53 women and 40 children, while the injured were 145 men, 27 women and 18 children. A total of 1,618 houses have been damaged, including 1,185 partially and 433 completely destroyed.

Buner has been the worst-hit district with 234 deaths, followed by 42 in Swabi. Other affected districts include Swat, Bajaur, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir and Battagram.

Read: Fresh deluge feared as NDMA issues urgent warning

The PDMA has directed local administrations to speed up relief operations and provide immediate assistance. Its Emergency Operations Centre remains active, with a toll-free helpline (1700) for reporting emergencies.

The Meteorological Department said temperatures across the province, including Peshawar, have begun to decline, with a sharper drop expected in hilly areas. Rain with thunder and lightning is likely in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand and Shangla.

Similar conditions are forecast for Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai Palas, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra and Haripur, while Abbottabad, Bajaur and Kurram could also see storms with gusty winds.

Read more: K-P schools closed Aug 19–25 due to flash floods

Speaking to The Express Tribune, disaster and climate change expert Fatima Yamin said Pakistan must invest more in long-term resilience rather than only short-term response. “Mitigation and adaptation are important but they are often overhyped. What needs more investment is preparedness and prevention, because these can both prepare us for what is coming and prevent large-scale damage to infrastructure, especially homes and schools,” she added.

Yamin added that the absence of disaster insurance or immediate compensation leaves affected families vulnerable. “People are left to rebuild their livelihoods from scratch,” she said, warning that unchecked mining, deforestation and industrialisation are worsening the impact of extreme weather events.

On Pakistan’s international positioning, Yamin said greater transparency was essential. “We seem to be investing more of our domestic resources in humanitarian response rather than prevention and preparedness. International governments and organisations are providing adaptation and mitigation funding, but we are not clearly showing how much we spend in these areas from our national revenues, not just loans and grants,” she said.