PAKISTAN RAINS

Heavy monsoon rains have triggered deadly landslides and flash floods across northern Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 164 people, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The mountainous province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the hardest hit, accounting for 150 of the confirmed deaths. The Buner district, where a state of emergency has been declared, has seen the highest number of casualties, with 78 people killed. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, and dozens of people have been injured in the region.

The severe weather also claimed the lives of five military personnel when a helicopter on a rescue mission crashed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The military aircraft was being used to reach isolated areas and assist those affected by the floods.

In addition to the devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine people have been killed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and five in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Authorities have reported that at least 35 people are still missing.

Rescue operations are underway, with 1,300 tourists successfully evacuated from the landslide-stricken Mansehra district. The Meteorological Department has issued a heavy rain alert for the northwest, urging residents to stay away from vulnerable areas.

The annual monsoon season, which provides the South Asian region with the majority of its rainfall, is vital for agriculture but often brings widespread destruction. Flash floods and landslides are common during this time, which typically spans from June to September.

The flooding in Pakistan coincides with a similar disaster in India-administered Kashmir, where heavy rains have killed at least 60 people and left 200 missing after gushing mudslides inundated the village of Chasoti. Scientists have noted that the frequency and intensity of such events in the Himalayas may be increasing due to climate change.