Peshawar/Gilgit/ Muzaffarabad (Web Desk): Torrential monsoon rains, sudden cloudbursts, and fast-moving floodwaters have wreaked havoc across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 224 lives.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the hardest hit, with over 206 fatalities reported. The Buner district has suffered the most, where more than a dozen villages were devastated by a powerful cloudburst, leaving 157 people dead. Other severely affected districts include Bajaur, Mansehra, Batagram, Swat, and Shangla. Over 60 people have also sustained injuries.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rainfall and landslides have caused 8 deaths, including six members of a single family in Muzaffarabad. Emergency crews are working around the clock to evacuate more than 500 stranded tourists from the Ratti Gali Base Camp. Meanwhile, the Kohala Highway remains blocked due to severe landslides.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, at least 10 people have lost their lives, including eight in Ghizer and two in Diamer district. Floodwaters have also wiped out the Naltar Hydropower Station, plunging Gilgit city into a complete blackout.
The Pakistan Army, PDMA, and various rescue teams are actively engaged in relief operations, relocating survivors to safer areas and providing emergency assistance. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that intermittent monsoon rains are likely to continue until August 21, possibly worsening the situation further.