The death toll from catastrophic flash floods and landslides in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir has climbed to at least 307, officials said, as torrential monsoon rains continue to batter the mountainous north of the country.
Most fatalities were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where floodwaters swept through remote villages, destroying homes and triggering deadly landslides. Authorities confirmed that at least 74 houses have been damaged beyond repair. Rescue efforts suffered a major setback when an army helicopter crashed in bad weather during operations in Bajaur, killing all five crew members on board.
Nine more deaths were reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, while five fatalities occurred in Gilgit-Baltistan, local officials said.
Government forecasters have warned that heavy rainfall is expected to persist until August 21 across the northwest, where several districts have already been declared disaster zones.
In the district of Buner, survivor Azizullah told AFP the deluge struck with apocalyptic force.
“I heard a loud noise as if the mountain was sliding. I rushed outside and saw the entire area shaking, like it was the end of the world. The ground was trembling due to the force of the water, and it felt like death was staring me in the face,” he said.
Images from Bajaur showed residents gathering around heavy machinery digging through mud-soaked hillsides, while nearby families held funeral prayers over rows of bodies wrapped in blankets. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Ali Amin Gadapur declared a day of mourning across the province.
Across the border, in the Indian-administered Kashmir region, rescuers recovered dozens of bodies after a flash flood tore through a Himalayan village on Friday, killing at least 60 people and sweeping away homes.
The South Asian monsoon, which runs from June to September, delivers about three-quarters of the region’s annual rainfall. This year’s season has already proven one of the deadliest in recent history. In July, Punjab province — home to nearly half of Pakistan’s 255 million people — recorded 73 percent more rainfall compared with last year and reported more flood-related deaths than in the entire 2024 monsoon.
Scientists have long warned that climate change is amplifying extreme weather patterns across South Asia, making floods and landslides more frequent and more severe.