The recent flash floods in Pakistan’s northern areas, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), have caused devastating loss and destruction. The death toll across the northern regions has surged to over 340, with Buner district being the hardest hit. In Buner alone, 204 lives were lost in a span of 48 hours, with 120 injured and 50 missing. Other affected districts include Shangla (36 deaths), Mansehra (23), Swat (22), Bajaur (21), Battagram (15), Lower Dir (5), and one child drowned in Abbottabad.
On Aug 15, KP experienced catastrophic scenes as flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall and cloudbursts across several districts resulted in over 200 deaths in a single day, including five crew members of a provincial government helicopter that crashed in Mohmand while conducting relief and rescue operations.
Thw above is screengrab of a PDMA report issued on Aug 16, 2025 shows a breakdown of the rain-related incidents across KP and the resulting casualties in the past 48 hours. — PDMA report
The floods have also caused massive infrastructure damage: houses, schools, roads, and power stations have been destroyed or severely affected. For instance, in Swat, floodwaters submerged the 132KV Swat grid station, resulting in a complete suspension of electricity in the region. Rescue operations are ongoing amid challenges such as damaged roads, washed-out bridges, and disrupted communication due to damaged mobile towers.
About 2,000 rescue workers are actively involved in relief efforts in nine districts. An elite rescue squad has been formed to work in the most difficult terrains. Despite the hardship, rescue teams have evacuated many survivors, though relocation remains low as people are reluctant due to losses and debris.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that rainfall will continue until August 21, raising concerns for more flooding in the coming days.
The KP government has declared several districts, including Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram, as disaster-hit areas. Relief funds have also been released for these flood-affected districts to support rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
Additionally, a tragic loss includes a provincial government helicopter crash in Mohmand during relief operations, with all five crew members confirmed dead.
The unprecedented intensity of these monsoon rains and resulting floods has left hundreds dead, thousands displaced across northern Pakistan. Authorities continue urgent rescue and relief operations amid ongoing adverse weather conditions.