Fri Aug 15 09:59:07 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summary based on the provided text, framed from a news perspective as requested:

**Headline: Pakistan Reels from Deadly Flash Floods: Climate Change Blamed for Increased Intensity**

**Peshawar, Pakistan – August 15, 2025** – Devastating flash floods, triggered by heavy rains and cloudbursts, have claimed the lives of at least 49 people across northwestern Pakistan and other regions in the past 24 hours, officials reported Friday. The disaster has prompted large-scale rescue operations, including the evacuation of 1,300 tourists stranded in the mountainous Siran Valley due to landslides.

The hardest-hit areas include the Ghazar district in Gilgit-Baltistan, where 10 people were swept away, and the Bajaur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where a massive cloudburst led to the deaths of 16 people, including women and children. Seventeen remain missing in Bajaur. Ten fatalities were also reported in Battagram, with 18 still missing. Seven more deaths occurred in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

These latest incidents bring the total number of rain-related deaths in Pakistan since June 26 to over 360, primarily women and children.

The Karakoram Highway, a vital trade and tourism route linking Pakistan and China, has been impacted by landslides triggered by repeated flooding in Gilgit-Baltistan since July. The region is also home to crucial glaciers that provide 75% of Pakistan’s stored water supply, raising concerns about glacial lake outburst flooding. Disaster management authorities have issued alerts, advising travelers to avoid affected areas.

President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed sorrow and urged authorities to accelerate rescue and relief efforts.

Scientists are pointing to the increasing impact of climate change as a contributing factor to the severity of the rainfall. A recent study by World Weather Attribution found that rainfall between June 24 and July 23 was 10% to 15% heavier due to global warming. Experts say that sudden, intense downpours, or cloudbursts, are becoming more frequent in the country. This echoes the devastating 2022 monsoon season, which killed over 1,700 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. The country seems to be grappling with the growing consequences of climate change.

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