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Business Recorder
a day ago
- Climate
- Business Recorder
PM places NDMA on red alert
ISLAMABAD: As severe monsoon flooding continues to wreak havoc across the country, submerging some of the most upscale private housing societies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday placed disaster management authorities on red alert. In an official statement, the PM ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to immediately intensify rescue efforts, emphasising the need for close and continuous coordination with provincial governments to effectively tackle the escalating crisis. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Climate
- Qatar Tribune
Rains, flash floods kill 21 in Pakistan
Agencies Flash floods and landslides have killed at least 21 people in 24 hours across Pakistan, taking the total death toll in this year's monsoon to 242. At least three people died in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday when a cloudburst caused floods and landslides, stranding more than 200 tourists who were later rescued, officials said. 'So far, we have rescued between 200 and 250 people in various areas who arrived for tourism purposes. All of them are Pakistani nationals. Meanwhile, between 15 to 20 people are still missing, and search efforts are ongoing,' Farmanullah Khan, a government official in Gilgit-Baltistan, told Al Jazeera. Officials said the rescued tourists were moved to the city of Chilas, where they were provided shelter in hotels and guesthouses. 'Rescue operations are actively under way to locate missing tourists with military personnel participating in the efforts. Helicopters will be deployed for rescue if necessary,' Faizullah Faraq, spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government, said in a statement. On Monday, at least four other tourists were killed and 15 went missing due to the floods in the region's Diamer district. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday said at least 10 people died in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including six children. The NDMA said most of the deaths were caused by house collapses as above-average rains pounded the South Asia nation, still recovering from the floods of 2022, which killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced more than 30 million. Advertisement An NDMA official told Al Jazeera the rains this year have been more intense compared with last year. 'This is the fourth spell during this monsoon and is expected to go on till July 25,' he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. On Tuesday, the NDMA issued a landslide alert for several northern areas, including parts of both Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain, winds and thundershowers for Tuesday across northern Pakistan and parts of Punjab province. Pakistan, which has a population of about 250 million, is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change. It is also home to more than 7,000 glaciers – the largest outside the Earth's polar regions. On June 26, Gilgit-Baltistan's Disaster Management Authority warned of an increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods and flash floods and asked people to avoid approaching rivers, streams and other waterways. Zakir Hussein, director general of the authority, said that while warnings help reduce the presence of tourists, they are not always enough. 'Generally, tourists pay attention to our warning notices. Those who still choose to come are either those who did not see the warning or those who have some urgency to visit,' Hussein told Al Jazeera. 'At the end of the day, it is weather prediction, but considering the severity of the consequences, people should take it seriously.' Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, two people riding in a car were swept into a storm drain at a residential complex. A video circulating on social media showed the vehicle being carried away by floodwaters into the drain. Rescue officials have launched a search for the missing passengers. Abdul Moiz, a local pharmacy owner, said only a few shops were open in the area on Tuesday due to the relentless rain.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
223 killed so far in rain-related incidents in Pakistan
The death toll in rain-related incidents in Pakistan reached 223 as another twelve people were killed in the last 24 hours, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday. People wade through the flooded street after during the monssoon rain in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on July 17, 2025. (REUTERS) According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the latest casualties include two men, as many women and eight children, while ten others were injured in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours. So far, 594 people have suffered injuries in the heavy downpour-led accidents this monsoon season. Punjab remained the worst-hit province, with 135 deaths and 470 injuries recorded, NDMA said. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 56 people have lost their lives and 71 have been hurt. Sindh has reported 24 casualties and 40 wounded, it added. Baluchistan has confirmed 16 fatalities, while Pakistan-occupied Kashmir saw one death and six people harmed. Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir reported three non-fatal casualties, while Islamabad saw one fatality, it said. Most of the deaths have been caused by structural collapses, drowning, landslides, flash floods, lightning strikes, and electrocution. The NDMA report further stated that 25 houses collapsed in the last 24 hours, while five cattle were also killed. Since the start of the monsoon season, 804 houses have been damaged or destroyed, and 200 livestock have been lost. The authorities also warned of a flood emergency in Babusar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides in a 7-8 km radius around Babusar Top in the Naran valley. Authorities have strongly advised citizens to take precautions, especially those in flood-prone or low-lying areas.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Examiner
Flash floods sweep away vehicles carrying tourists in northern Pakistan
Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have swept away several vehicles carrying tourists in northern Pakistan, killing at least three people and leaving 15 others missing. Pakistani rescue officials said the above-normal monsoon rains since June 26 have killed at least 225 people and injured more than 500 across the country. Experts say climate change is driving an increase in extreme weather events in the region. A cloudburst caused floods and landslides on Monday, stranding more than 200 local tourists after a key highway near the northern Chilas district was blocked, said Faizullah Faraq, a government spokesperson in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Army helicopters were used in the evacuation of tourists, including women and children, he said. Several vehicles were buried under the rubble of landslides and rescuers are using heavy machinery to find the missing tourists and residents, Mr Faraq said. Three bodies have been recovered. The National Disaster Management Authority issued an updated flood alert days earlier, warning against travel to northern areas due to potential landslides and blocked roads. Earlier this month, authorities warned they cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and killed 1,737 people.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
At least three killed in landslide, heavy rains in northern Pakistan
A landslide triggered by torrential monsoon rains has killed at least three people in northern Pakistan, according to local officials, as operations continued to rescue 15 missing people. More than eight vehicles were swept away on Monday when heavy rains triggered a landslide on a highway in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district, Abdul Hameed, Diamer's district police officer, told the AFP news agency on Tuesday. 'Three dead bodies have been recovered and more than 15 are still missing.' Flash floods, collapsed buildings and electrocutions have killed 221 people since the monsoon season arrived in the country in late June, with heavier rains than usual. Several of the victims were tourists from other parts of Pakistan visiting the popular tourist destination of Gilgit-Baltistan, a province in Pakistan-administered Kashmir renowned for its lush valleys and crystal-clear lakes. Hameed said at least 10 vehicles were buried under the debris. 'The rescue operation has been launched again at 6:00am today [01:00 GMT],' he added. 'Rescuers also evacuated four injured people, one of whom is in a critical condition', said Faizullah Faraq, spokesman for the provincial government, confirming three deaths to AFP. 'Hundreds of trapped tourists have since been brought to safety; government teams cleared debris and escorted them off the mountain road, while local villagers provided emergency shelter and assistance,' Faraq added. Floods in the area on Monday have damaged 50 houses, four bridges, a hotel, and a school, as well as blocked major highways and damaged communication signals. Elsewhere in Pakistan The remainder of Pakistan has not been spared, with 221 killed nationwide in incidents related to the monsoon since June 26. The death toll includes '104 children and 40 women', with more than 500 people also injured, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the agency told AFP that the heavy rains usually start later in the monsoon season. 'Such death tolls are usually seen in August, but this year the impact has been markedly different,' she said. The national meteorological service warns that the risk of heavy rain and possibly flash floods remains high in the country's northern and eastern provinces, with the risk of floods and landslides. In mid-June, at least 65 people were killed and nearly 300 injured within 24 hours when monsoon rains hit Punjab province, which borders India. In late June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank in another province in northern Pakistan. The rains are a routine part of South Asia's climate and are essential for crop irrigation and replenishing water supplies. However, their adverse effect has worsened in recent years due to rapid urban expansion, poor drainage systems, and more frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change. The country is still struggling to recover from the devastating floods of 2022, which affected almost a third of the country and more than 33 million people. About 1,700 people were killed, and much of the harvest was lost. Solve the daily Crossword
