Peshawar/Karachi/Lahore: Torrential monsoon rains have wreaked havoc across various parts of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, leading to widespread flooding, destruction, and tragic loss of life.
In Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Swat River swelled dangerously after continuous heavy rainfall, sweeping away more than 75 people—including women and children—at seven different locations. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi told Human Online that eight bodies were recoverd, while over 55 people have been rescued. Search operations are still ongoing for more than 5 missing individuals.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson, the flooding has caused severe damage and trapped dozens in different areas. At the Bypass area alone, 16 people were swept away by the river; seven bodies were recovered, three individuals were rescued, and six remain missing. A survivor from the affected family at the Bypass revealed that nine members of his family, including two daughters, were washed away. Most of the victims were women and children. Harrowing footage has surfaced showing a dozen individuals, including women and children, stranded on a mound of mud before being engulfed by the rushing waters.
In Imam Dheri, 22 people trapped by the flood were successfully rescued. At Ghaligay, seven individuals were caught in the floods—one body was recovered while rescue efforts continue for the others. Similar situations were reported in Manyar and Panjigram, where seven and one individuals respectively were trapped by the floodwaters, with search operations ongoing. In Matta’s Barha Bama Khela area, between 20 and 30 people were rescued safely after being surrounded by floodwaters.
Meanwhile, in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and various cities across Punjab, heavy rains and strong winds have led to a series of tragic accidents, resulting in at least 13 deaths and numerous injuries. According to Rescue 1122 and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), while the rains offered some respite from the heatwave, they severely disrupted urban life due to waterlogging and flooding. Over the past 24 hours, 46 people received emergency services—39 were hospitalized, and 7 succumbed to their injuries. Okara reported the highest number of incidents (8), followed by Multan (4), and two each in Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhang, and Chiniot. One incident each was reported in Lahore, Kasur, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar, and Khanewal.
Among the notable incidents, a 5-year-old girl named Dua Fatima died in Okara when a bamboo roof collapsed. In Jhelum, two people drowned when a loader rickshaw fell into a water-filled ditch. Muzaffargarh saw two deaths after a house wall collapsed, and in Kasur, two young girls died due to a roof collapse. In Bahawalnagar, a similar collapse claimed another life. Additionally, lightning strikes killed two farmers in Khanewal and Toba Tek Singh.
According to PDMA data, Faisalabad’s GMA Town recorded 98mm of rain and Madina Town 91mm. In Lahore, Nishtar Town received 50mm, the airport area 24mm, and other areas 15mm. Rainfall in other parts of Punjab included 63mm in Kasur, 50mm in Sheikhupura, 48mm in Joharabad, and lesser amounts across Sargodha, Chakwal, Chiniot, Rawalpindi, Narowal, Attock, Gujrat, Mianwali, and others.
Severe water accumulation led to urban flooding in major cities like Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad. Roads and underpasses were submerged, causing massive traffic disruptions and prolonged power outages in several localities.
In another tragic incident, three more people died in the twin cities due to rain-related accidents. In one case, a power pole fell on a car near the Carriage Factory on IJP Road in Islamabad, killing 50-year-old Rashid Niaz and 12-year-old Muhammad bin Amir. Three others, including two women, were injured. Another body was recovered from a stormwater drain in Rawalpindi's Bhosa Godam area. The deceased, identified as Anam Bashir, was a schoolteacher and resident of Afshan Colony. She had gone missing a day earlier during the rains while commuting to Islamabad. Her taxi was later found wrecked near a drain. The driver remains missing.
In Sindh’s Tando Jam, heavy rainfall caused the roof of a madrassa in Muzaffar Colony to collapse, resulting in the deaths of two students and injuries to 20 others. The injured were promptly shifted to a local hospital for treatment.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rainfall between June 26 and 28 in Karachi and various districts of interior Sindh, raising fears of further flooding and disruption.
Authorities have urged citizens to avoid low-lying and flood-prone areas and to follow safety advisories as the country braces for more monsoon rains in the coming days.
