Pakistan Reels Under Monsoon Rains as Death Toll Hits 225 in 48 Hours

At least 225 people have died in flash floods and house collapses triggered by heavy monsoon rains in northern Pakistan within 48 hours. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is worst hit, with rescue efforts hampered by landslides and blocked roads. Officials have declared six mountain districts disaster zones as rains continue.

Pakistan is facing a devastating monsoon disaster after torrential rains and flash floods killed at least 225 people within just two days, officials confirmed on Saturday. The majority of fatalities occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where swollen rivers and collapsing houses left entire communities in ruins.

The National Disaster Management Authority said 211 deaths were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while nine lives were lost in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and five in Gilgit-Baltistan. Most victims were swept away in flash floods or buried under debris from landslides and collapsed homes. At least 21 others were injured.

Authorities declared six mountainous districts — Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram — as disaster-hit. In many areas, rescue teams faced immense hurdles due to landslides and blocked roads. “Heavy rainfall and washed-out roads are hampering relief efforts, and our teams are trekking on foot to reach stranded people,” said Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for the provincial rescue agency.

Nearly 2,000 emergency workers have been deployed to retrieve bodies and rescue survivors across nine affected districts. Despite evacuation appeals, many residents are unwilling to leave, clinging to hopes of finding missing relatives trapped beneath debris. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of more downpours in the northwest, urging residents to take precautionary measures.

The flooding has not only caused widespread destruction to homes and vehicles but also paralyzed transport and relief operations. Images from Mingora in Swat Valley show cars piled against electric poles and neighborhoods submerged in muddy waters. With rains forecast to continue, authorities fear the death toll may climb further.

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Pakistan, prone to deadly monsoon disasters, is once again bracing for prolonged hardship as families mourn their losses while awaiting relief in cut-off areas.