ISLAMABAD — Nearly a week of heavy monsoon rains and flash floods across Pakistan has left at least 46 people dead and dozens injured, with emergency officials warning that the extreme weather could worsen and even echo the devastating 2022 flood disaster.
The death toll from abnormally strong downpours since last Tuesday includes:
22 deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
13 in eastern Punjab
7 in Sindh
4 in Balochistan
The figures were confirmed by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and various provincial emergency departments.
“We are expecting above-normal rains during this monsoon season,” said Irfan Virk, Deputy Director at the Pakistan Meteorological Department. “We’ve issued alerts to concerned authorities to take precautionary measures.”
Meteorologists have warned that a repeat of the 2022 catastrophe — when monsoon floods killed 1,737 people and submerged a third of the country — cannot be ruled out. That disaster displaced millions and caused billions of dollars in damage.
“The situation could become extreme again,” Virk added.
Among the victims this past week were 13 tourists from the same family, swept away on Friday by raging floodwaters in the Swat River, located in scenic Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to emergency spokesperson Bilal Faizi, 12 bodies have been recovered. Divers are continuing to search for the final missing family member.
The tragedy has sparked outrage online, with many social media users condemning what they called a slow and inadequate response by emergency services, especially given the predictable rise in river levels during the monsoon.
The 2025 monsoon season, just beginning, is already showing signs of becoming one of the most dangerous in recent years. Climate experts and relief agencies have repeatedly warned that Pakistan’s infrastructure, early warning systems, and disaster preparedness remain underfunded and vulnerable to extreme weather events.
With more storms expected in the coming days, authorities are urging people in flood-prone areas to remain on high alert.
Spain Partners with World Bank to Boost Sustainable Development Through Debt Swaps
Trump Threatens New Tariffs on Japan Over Rice Exports Ahead of Trade Deadline
Trump Revives Trade Tensions Over Digital Services Taxes Targeting U.S. Tech Giants
Gen Z Homebuyers Are Defying the Housing Market Odds
U.S. Faces Rising Economic Risks Ahead of July 9 Tariff Deadline and Looming Debt Crisis