Villagers wade through floodwaters in northern Pakistan as relentless rains leave hundreds dead and thousands displaced in both Pakistan and India. Image: AP via Sky News.
(The Post News)– Torrential rains have triggered flash floods across India and Pakistan, killing more than 280 people and leaving many missing within 24 hours, officials confirmed on Friday. Rescue teams managed to save about 1,600 people from two mountainous districts in both countries.
In Pakistan, tragedy struck when a helicopter delivering relief supplies to the flood-hit Bajaur district crashed in bad weather, killing all five people on board, including two pilots. Flash floods have been particularly severe in the Buner district, where at least 157 people died on Friday. Authorities declared a state of emergency as rescuers searched for dozens still unaccounted for. Since June 26, rain-related deaths in Pakistan have risen to 556.
In India-controlled Kashmir, the remote Himalayan village of Chositi suffered devastating losses after a powerful cloudburst on Thursday. At least 60 people were confirmed dead, 80 remain missing, and 50 were seriously injured. The floods swept away homes, vehicles, and a community kitchen serving over 200 Hindu pilgrims, forcing the suspension of an annual pilgrimage.
Local resident Harvinder Singh said he helped retrieve 33 bodies from the mud. Weather officials warn of more heavy rain, raising fears of additional flooding and landslides in the already fragile region.
In both countries, hundreds of tourists remain stranded in flood-hit areas despite repeated government warnings. Pakistan’s disaster management agency has issued fresh alerts for glacial lake outburst floods in the north.
A new study by World Weather Attribution links the heavier-than-usual rainfall—10% to 15% more between June 24 and July 23—to global warming. Experts warn that the region’s Himalayan and northern areas are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather, putting communities and vital infrastructure at risk.
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