Pakistan Floods Leave 321 Dead as Rescue Teams Struggle to Reach Remote Areas

Northern Pakistan is reeling from devastating flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains, with disaster agencies confirming that at least 321 people have died in the last 48 hours.

The worst-hit region is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Provincial Disaster Management Authority reported 307 deaths. Officials say the toll is expected to rise as rescuers continue digging through debris in remote villages.

The meteorological department has issued fresh alerts for more heavy rain in the northwest, urging residents to adopt “precautionary measures.” The provincial government has also declared Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram districts as severely affected.

Rescue efforts remain daunting. According to the provincial rescue agency, around 2,000 personnel are currently deployed across nine districts to recover bodies and provide relief. But the combination of landslides, washed-out roads, and continued downpours has made the mission extremely difficult.

“Heavy rainfall, landslides in several areas, and washed-out roads are causing significant challenges in delivering aid, particularly in transporting heavy machinery and ambulances,” said Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Rescue agency, in an interview with AFP.

Faizi added that road closures have forced rescue teams to trek on foot into remote regions.

“Due to road closures in most areas, rescue workers are travelling on foot to conduct operations in remote regions,” he explained. “They are trying to evacuate survivors, but very few people are relocating due to the deaths of their relatives or loved ones being trapped in the debris.”

With thousands displaced and critical infrastructure destroyed, authorities fear the humanitarian toll could deepen unless weather conditions improve.