Pakistan’s ongoing monsoon crisis has claimed at least 670 lives in just five days, with flooding and landslides leaving villages buried, families missing, and entire communities cut off from help. Officials warn the rains are far from over, with another wave expected later this month.
Rescue Operations Under Strain
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that nearly 1,000 people have been injured, most in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where mountain villages were swept away by flash floods. Since August 17, more than 25,000 people have been rescued in joint operations with the army and local agencies.
Rescuers are racing against time, digging through rubble and mud in hard-hit areas like Dalori, where residents say they lost everything within minutes. Survivors describe the deluge as “terrifying,” with some villages destroyed in under 20 minutes.
In Karachi, at least seven people were killed on Tuesday as heavy downpours battered the country’s financial hub, exposing its fragile drainage and infrastructure.
Roads, Communication Cut Off
Landslides have blocked key highways in Gilgit-Baltistan and KP, though NDMA says half of these routes have now been cleared. The army is deploying heavy machinery to reopen roads in flood-affected Shangla and Buner districts, where traffic routes are slowly being restored.
Despite these efforts, access to many areas remains severely limited. Phone networks are down in several flood-hit regions, making coordination and family contact even harder.
Rising Toll and Continuing Risk
The NDMA reported 46 deaths in the past 24 hours alone, while warning that rainfall is expected to persist until the weekend. A fresh monsoon spell is projected to hit northern Punjab, KP, Balochistan, and arid southern zones by late August.
Since the start of the monsoon season in late June, more than 700 people have died nationwide. Authorities are also cautioning of urban flooding in Karachi and other Sindh cities due to poor drainage.
“Our Lives Are Ruined”
For survivors, the scale of loss is overwhelming. In KP, 31-year-old labourer Umar Islam said his father was killed on Monday:
“In a matter of minutes, we lost everything. Our misery is beyond explanation.”
Another villager, Fazal Akbar, recalled mosque announcements warning of flash floods, but said the destruction was too sudden to escape.
Climate Crisis Context
Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change-driven disasters. In 2022, unprecedented floods submerged a third of the country, killing nearly 1,700 people. This year’s monsoon—though less widespread—has again exposed fragile infrastructure and the limits of relief operations.
NDMA officials say a damage assessment survey will begin once rains subside, with a national needs report expected by mid-September. Until then, rescue and relief missions continue, as authorities brace for more rainfall in the days ahead.
