At least 11 people, including four children and three women, have died following flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The flooding, which occurred over the past 24 hours, also left six people injured, according to a situation report released late Friday by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The worst-hit area was Swat Valley, where ten of the fatalities occurred, while one person died in the Malakand district. Local reports suggest that dozens of homes along the Swat River were damaged, with some families swept away by the fast-moving waters.
Rescue efforts are currently underway in multiple districts, as emergency services work to reach individuals stranded by rising floodwaters.
The national meteorological department has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall and the potential for more flash floods, with the alert expected to remain in effect until Tuesday.
Pakistan, a country with a population exceeding 240 million, remains among the most vulnerable globally to the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather events—including floods, droughts, and heatwaves—have become increasingly frequent and severe.
In May, severe storms killed 24 people, while in 2022, catastrophic monsoon rains submerged a third of the country, affecting more than 33 million people. Global climate scientists have since attributed these events to the accelerating climate crisis.
Former Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman criticized the authorities’ response to the ongoing disaster in a series of posts on social media platform X.
She accused local officials and tourists of underestimating the severity of the situation despite repeated warnings from national agencies. Rehman warned that Pakistan continues to ignore the realities of climate change, urging stronger action and preparedness.
“These are not just natural disasters,” she emphasized. “Super monsoons and flash floods are becoming more frequent due to global warming. Pakistan must stop treating the climate crisis as a distant issue.”
As rescue operations continue, authorities remain on high alert for further weather-related emergencies, while calls grow louder for stronger national strategies to tackle climate resilience and environmental sustainability.
