Severe flooding triggered by torrential monsoon rains and sudden cloudbursts has claimed the lives of at least 176 people across Pakistan and India within the last 24 hours. In the Himalayan village of Chositi, India-administered Kashmir, at least 60 people died as flash floods and landslides devastated the area during a pilgrimage to a local Hindu shrine. More than 200 people are reported missing, and over 300 were rescued in the chaotic aftermath.
In Pakistan, the worst-hit region has been the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where local authorities reported at least 116 fatalities, including 78 in Buner district alone. Floods and landslides destroyed numerous homes and infrastructure, while more than 30 residences were completely wiped out. An additional 35 people remain missing.
Rescue operations have been hindered by severe weather, and a government helicopter carrying aid crashed in Pakistan’s Mohmand district, killing all five crew members on board. More than 1,300 stranded tourists were evacuated from flood-affected mountainous areas.
Experts cite climate change as a key factor in the increasing frequency and severity of cloudbursts intense, localized downpours that trigger flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas. Unplanned development in vulnerable regions has exacerbated the damage caused by these natural events.
Authorities have issued weather alerts urging residents to avoid risky areas as monsoon rains are forecast to continue into late August. Both Indian and Pakistani leaders have expressed condolences and committed to accelerating relief efforts for affected communities.
The disaster has highlighted the critical need for coordinated climate resilience strategies and sustainable development policies in the flood-prone regions of South Asia.