flash-floods-kill-260-across-india-and-pakistan

Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in India and Pakistan have so far killed as many as 250 people, with many more still untraceable, said authorities in the flood-hit Jammu & Kashmir in India and the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.

The death toll of weather-related calamities has now reached 60 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar, where a cloudburst occurred on August 14, whereas 69 more are said to be missing. 

At least 199 people have died in Pakistan because of extreme weather, and the death toll is likely to surge further in the coming days.

Authorities in Pakistan said 1,300 tourists who were stranded in mountainous regions have been rescued, but there could be at least 35 more who are still reported missing in these areas. 

The horrific visuals from J&K’s Kishtwar flash flood are scary beyond words. This is the nation’s biggest disaster of this monsoon with 65 lives lost and over 100 missing. Prayers for the departed and for the safety of those still missing.#Kishtwar | #PrayForKishtwar pic.twitter.com/pMTFubuVXj

— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) August 15, 2025

A majority of deaths that have occurred have been in the Northern Frontier Region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), officials further said.

"So far, across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, more than 110 people have died due to cloudbursts, flash floods, and roof collapses," PDMA spokesperson Anwar Shehzad told reporters. Besides KPK, seven people also died in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, regional disaster management authorities there said.

 

These recent catastrophic events are being directly linked to climate change patterns being reported worldwide.

Scientists have said that the northern Himalayan region in India and Pakistan, typically the mountainous regions, are likely to see increasing incidences of such phenomena, especially due to unnatural interference in nature’s balance.

While the monsoon season from June to September brings about three-quarters of South Asia's annual rainfall, which is crucial for crops, torrential, incessant rain also leads to landslides and flash floods.

A study by the World Weather Attribution found that rainfall in Pakistan from June 24 to July 23 was 10 per cent to 15 per cent heavier, particularly in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, because of climate change. Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations continued to be undertaken in the flood-hit areas of both countries on Saturday.

 

Also Read: Kishtwar cloudburst toll mounts to 60, PM assures all help