Tue Aug 19 16:44:23 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Pakistan Flooding Death Toll Nears 400 as Monsoon Rains Continue**

**Islamabad, Pakistan – August 19, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Rescuers are continuing their search for survivors amidst the devastation caused by five days of torrential monsoon rains across northern Pakistan. The death toll has climbed to nearly 400, with authorities warning that the downpours are expected to persist through the weekend.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that 356 people have perished in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a mountainous province bordering Afghanistan, since Thursday evening. Dozens more have been killed in surrounding regions. Entire villages have been swept away by flooding and landslides, leaving residents trapped in rubble and countless missing.

In hard-hit Dalori village, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rescuers are digging through mud and debris, hoping to find survivors. Villagers anxiously watch, their prayers echoing the desperation of a community shattered by the sudden disaster. Umar Islam, a 31-year-old labourer, mourns the loss of his father, stating, “Our misery is beyond explanation. In a matter of minutes, we lost everything we had.”

Fazal Akbar, another villager, described the harrowing scene: “It happened so suddenly that no one even had a minute to react. In less than 20 minutes, our village was reduced to ruins.”

The widespread damage has severely hampered rescue efforts. Damaged roads and disrupted communication networks are hindering access to affected areas. Heavy rain is also impacting southern regions, including Karachi, raising concerns of urban flooding due to inadequate infrastructure.

NDMA chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik stated that the rain is expected to continue until Saturday, with another spell anticipated by the end of the month. Since June 26, the monsoon rains have claimed over 700 lives and injured nearly 1,000. The monsoon season is expected to last until mid-September.

Neighboring Balochistan province has also been affected, with landslides and damaged houses reported. The main highway connecting Balochistan with Sindh is blocked to heavy vehicles.

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change and faces increasing extreme weather events. The devastating floods of 2022, which submerged one-third of the country, resulted in approximately 1,700 fatalities.

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