It’s been raining almost non-stop for weeks, and the damage is everywhere you look. The PDMA says at least 189 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so far. Most of them didn’t even see the floods coming.
Since late June, the monsoon has been pouring down — sometimes gentle, then suddenly fierce. In some places, the water came rushing in so fast that people barely grabbed their children before running. A few entire streets in the north are just gone.
Officials said that the dead include 163 men, 14 women, and 12 children. Buner district suffered the most — 91 lives lost there alone. And they’re still looking for more bodies. Some folks here are saying the numbers could climb higher.
The floods also destroyed 45 homes, three schools, and eight other structures. Swat alone reported damage to 26 homes.
Helicopter Crash Claims Lives of Rescuers
During the relief operation, a KP government MI-17 helicopter delivering supplies to Bajaur lost contact and later crashed due to bad weather. In a tragic incident, two pilots along with three crew members lost their lives.
Terming it an irreparable loss, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced a day of mourning. He directed that national flags be flown at half-mast and said the fallen would be laid to rest with full state honors.
“These brave men gave their lives to save others. They are our real heroes,” he added.
Widespread Destruction in Multiple Districts
Buner has been hit hard — officials say dozens have died, and there are still people no one has heard from. In places like Pir Baba Bazaar, the water has swallowed entire streets. Roads are blocked, and livestock losses are high.
Bajaur, another badly hit district, saw 21 deaths, including eight children. In Battagram, lightning strikes killed 15 men, while Mansehra recorded 14 deaths due to flooding. Local sources say Swat has so far seen 11 deaths. In Lower Dir, five people have died. Shangla has reported two deaths so far. Reaching the affected spots hasn’t been easy — bad weather, mudslides, and downed phone lines are all getting in the way.
In some cases, helicopters are the only way to get to the small, cut-off villages.
Nationwide Impact of Monsoon Floods
The floods are not limited to KP. In Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a tragic landslide wiped out an entire family of six. Other deadly incidents in Bagh and Sudhnoti districts added to the toll.
Up north in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghizer district, sudden flash floods swept through several villages, claiming at least eight lives and destroying homes. Abbottabad wasn’t spared either — heavy flooding there brought traffic to a halt and left roads and buildings badly damaged.
Figures from the National Disaster Management Authority reveal a grim picture: since June 26, floods and relentless rains have taken 325 lives nationwide, including 142 children, and injured over 740 people. It’s a disaster that has left communities reeling and rescue teams racing against time.
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