PESHAWAR — Heavy monsoon rains claimed at least 12 lives across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the last 72 hours, as authorities issued a nationwide flood alert amid warnings of more intense weather.
Roof collapses and flash flooding accounted for most of the fatalities. Disaster management officials confirmed the deaths occurred primarily in the northern districts, where infrastructure remains vulnerable to sudden downpours. Families are still digging through debris in rural pockets, while emergency crews struggle to reach cut-off mountain villages.
The provincial government declared a localized emergency in the worst-hit areas. Rescue teams are operating with limited visibility as persistent rain hampers helicopter sorties, leaving ground units as the only lifeline for stranded residents.
“We are dealing with a crisis that is evolving by the hour,” a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said. “Our priority is clearing the blocked arteries to ensure relief supplies reach those who have lost everything.”
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has now widened the scope of its warning. Meteorologists expect a fresh spell of heavy rain to hit the central and southern regions of the country over the next 48 hours. The alert covers major river basins, with officials keeping a close watch on water levels at the Tarbela and Mangla dams.
The current death toll is expected to climb. Medical teams have been deployed to makeshift relief camps to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, a recurring threat following the initial surge of floodwaters.
For many in the region, the trauma of previous catastrophic floods remains fresh. As the skies darken again, the question isn’t just about the immediate rescue effort, but how long the country’s aging drainage and warning systems can withstand this year’s erratic monsoon cycle.
