The flash floods in Pakistan are truly horrifying, with videos revealing the extent of the devastation. Sadly, more than 300 people have died as towns are completely underwater.

A sudden flash flood, caused by heavy rainfall, swept through northwest Pakistan, leaving a trail of destruction in towns and villages and tragically claiming over 300 lives in just 24 hours, including five crew members of a rescue helicopter. Rivers and streams overflowed, inundating roads and homes, uprooting trees, and causing widespread devastation. The relentless rains also triggered landslides, washing away roads and cutting off access in several areas. Social media visuals depict houses submerged, streets transformed into rivers, cars adrift, and rescue workers battling to carry out relief efforts amid the chaos. First responders have been tirelessly working to recover bodies in the hardest-hit villages of Pir Baba and Malik Pura, where most of the fatalities occurred on Friday, as reported by the Associated Press, quoting Kashif Qayyum, the deputy commissioner of Buner. Since late June, when the monsoon season began, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern regions, leading to deadly floods, landslides, and displacement, especially in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority reported that 307 people lost their lives in the flash floods, with Buner alone accounting for at least 184 deaths, according to the Associated Press. Shangla reported 36 deaths, followed by Mansehra with 23, Swat with 22, Bajaur with 21, Battagram with 15, and Lower Dir with five, while a child tragically drowned in Abbottabad. On Friday, the PDMA spokesperson indicated that the death toll and number of injuries were expected to rise further, as many people remained missing in the affected areas. In a tragic turn of events, a helicopter delivering relief supplies to flood-stricken areas in Bajaur, near the Afghan border, crashed due to bad weather, resulting in the loss of all five crew members. In Swat district, over 2,000 individuals were evacuated to safer locations as rivers and streams swelled, as reported by Reuters, citing officials. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting to review the flood situation caused by the recent heavy rains, his office said. Hundreds more have died in recent weeks as Pakistan has faced heavier-than-usual monsoon rains, washing away roads, homes, and other infrastructure.

NEWS