Heavy rainfall that caused the deadly monsoon floods in Pakistan in 2025 was worsened by human-caused climate change, according to a study by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a group of international scientists. The study found that rainfall in Pakistan from June 24 to July 23 was 10% to 15% heavier due to climate change. This increase in rainfall intensity contributed to severe flooding, the collapse of many buildings, and at least 300 deaths reported by the Pakistani government, with nearly half of the victims being children. The floods also damaged around 1,600 homes.
The researchers explained that a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture, resulting in heavier monsoon rains. Mariam Zachariah, lead author of the WWA report and a researcher at Imperial College London, stated that every tenth of a degree of warming leads to heavier monsoon rainfall. The study highlighted the urgent need for a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy to address climate change’s impacts on monsoon severity.
Pakistan’s monsoon floods are particularly devastating because a large portion of the population lives in fragile settlements prone to flooding, where homes easily collapse during heavy rains. The 2025 floods were part of a pattern of increasingly intense weather events in the region, linked to global warming already at about 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels. Researchers warn that surpassing the Paris Agreement target of limiting warming to 1.5°C would have dire consequences for vulnerable communities in Pakistan.
The study serves as a stark reminder of how climate change is increasing the risks and damages from natural disasters like monsoon floods in Pakistan, where the 2022 monsoon season previously caused even greater devastation with over 1,700 deaths and billions of dollars in damages. Experts advocate for building flood-resilient housing and avoiding construction in flood-prone areas as important adaptation measures to reduce future impacts.
.Overall, the study confirms that global warming significantly intensified the monsoon rains and consequent deadly flooding in Pakistan in 2025, worsening the humanitarian crisis caused by this extreme weather event. The findings underline the critical need for climate action and improved disaster preparedness in the region.