Flash floods in Pakistan’s northwest kill 11 as rains trigger landslides, house collapses

A rescue worker rows a raft while searching for survivors, after tourists, who were on a picnic, were swept away by overflowing floodwaters in the Swat River, in Swat Valley in Pakistan on June 27, 2025. (REUTERS)
Short Url
Updated 27 June 2025
Follow

Flash floods in Pakistan’s northwest kill 11 as rains trigger landslides, house collapses

  • PDMA calls Swat the hardest hit area, where flooding, landslides and flash torrents killed 10 people
  • Pakistan is bracing for extreme monsoon season, ramping up efforts to deal with potential calamities

PESHAWAR: At least 11 people, including four children, were killed and six injured after flash floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains swept through Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) over the past 24 hours, officials said on Friday.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), heavy rains caused flooding in the Swat River near Khwazakhela, damaging homes and infrastructure in several areas.

Swat was the worst-affected district, where 10 of the 11 reported fatalities occurred.

“According to the PDMA’s preliminary report, a total of 11 people have died and six others were injured,” the authority said in a statement. “The deceased include four men, three women, and four children, while the injured include three men and three women.”




Residents gather, after tourists, who were on a picnic, were swept away by overflowing floodwaters in the Swat River, in Swat Valley in Pakistan on June 27, 2025. (REUTERS)

“Swat district was the hardest hit, where flooding, landslides and flash torrents killed 10 people and injured six,” it added. “A total of 56 homes were damaged in the affected areas, six of them completely and 50 partially.”

The PDMA statement said its Emergency Operations Center was active and coordinating with district administrations, rescue services and relevant departments.

Flood alerts have also been issued to district administrations in Nowshera and Charsadda in KP, with instructions to implement preemptive safety measures in anticipation of further rainfall.

The statement informed the PDMA has supplied 136 trucks of non-food relief goods to district authorities as part of its monsoon contingency plan.

These include tents, tarpaulins, kitchen sets, blankets, pillows and sleeping bags. An additional Rs450 million ($1.62 million) has been disbursed to local governments for immediate relief and compensation needs.

Monsoon rains in Pakistan often cause widespread flooding and damage, particularly in mountainous northern regions.

Earlier this week, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country from June 26 till June 28.




A youngster rides his bicycle on a street during heavy rainfall, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on June 27, 2025. (AP)

It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement, calling on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential incidents.

Pakistan is currently bracing for another extreme monsoon season and ramping up efforts to deal with any potential calamity.




Commuters make their way through a flooded street following heavy rainfall in Hyderabad, in Sindh province on June 27, 2025. (AFP)

In 2022, deadly floods brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people in Pakistan. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.


Pakistan saw 73% increase in combat-related deaths in 2025— think tank

Updated 28 December 2025
Follow

Pakistan saw 73% increase in combat-related deaths in 2025— think tank

  • Pakistan reported 3,387 deaths thus year, among them 2,115 militants and 664 security forces personnel, says think tank
  • Civilian deaths increased by 24% to 580 in 2025, compared to 468 in 2024, as Pakistan saw 1,063 militant attacks in 2025

ISLAMABAD: Combat-related deaths in Pakistan this year increased by 73%, with both security forces and militants suffering casualties in large numbers, a report published by an Islamabad-based think tank said on Sunday.

As per statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), combat-related deaths in 2025 rose 73% to 3,387, compared with 1,950 in 2024. These deaths included 2,115 militants, 664 security forces personnel, 580 civilians and 28 members of pro-government peace committees (combatants), the think tank said in a press release. 

“Militants accounted for about 62% of total combat-related deaths, and their 2,115 fatalities represented the highest annual militant death toll since 2015, when 2,322 militants were killed,” PICSS said. 

Compared to last year, militant deaths recorded a steep increase by 122% as the PICSS reported that 951 militants had been killed in 2024.

The think tank, however, said this year was also particularly bloody for Pakistani security forces. PICSS recorded 664 security personnel deaths in 2025, a 26% rise from 528 in 2024, and the highest annual figure since 2011, when 677 security forces personnel lost their lives. 

Civilian deaths also increased by 24% to 580 in 2025, compared with 468 in 2024, marking the highest annual civilian toll since 2015, when 642 civilians were killed. 

As per the PICSS report, at least 1,063 militant attacks took place in 2025, a 17% increase compared with 908 in 2024 and the highest annual total since 2014, when 1,609 militant attacks were recorded. 

The report also noted a 53 percent increase in suicide attacks this year, with 26 such incidents reported in 2025 compared with 17 in 2024. 

“PICSS noted an expanding trend in the use of small drones, including quadcopters, with 33 such incidents recorded during 2025, alongside increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles by security forces,” the report said. 

The report noted an 83% rise in arrests of suspected militants, with 497 arrested in 2025 compared to 272 in 2024. 

This 2025 figure is the highest annual total of suspected militants arrested since 2017, when 1,781 militants were either arrested or laid down their weapons.

“PICSS noted that most violence remained concentrated in Pashtun-majority districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the tribal districts (erstwhile FATA), and in Balochistan,” it said. 

Pakistan has been grappling with a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both bordering Afghanistan, this year. 

Islamabad blames Afghanistan for providing sanctuaries to militants it alleges use Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul denies the charges.