Torrential rains and sudden cloudburst have caused widespread damage to life and property in the northern regions of Pakistan. Last week Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was battered by severe flash floods, with the toll rising to 323 people dead and 156 injured, with 217 deaths recorded in Buner alone. The KP government declared an emergency as heavy rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond.
Last Sunday, the PDMA released an updated damage report detailing casualties and property damage: “The dead include 273 men, 29 women and 21 children, while the injured include 123 men, 23 women and 10 children.” The PDMA’s figures also show that 320 cattle heads were killed in the flooding, while 336 homes, 57 schools and 23 other structures were damaged or completely destroyed. In Swat, 219 homes were affected, with 177 partially destroyed and 42 fully destroyed. Around 163 cattle heads also perished in the district, affecting people’s livelihoods. According to the PDMA, thousands of people have been displaced in Buner district, which has borne the brunt of recent floods.
As per the NDMA report, Pakistan’s cumulative death toll since June 26 from rain-related untoward events has surged to over 645. KP has reported the highest number of deaths at 383, followed by Punjab with 164, the northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Sindh with 28 deaths each, Balochistan 29, Azad Kashmir 14 and Islamabad eight casualties.
The ravage caused by the recent rain-fed floods is a stark reminder of the cataclysmic floods of June 2022, where unusually heavy rains and the melting of glaciers triggered flash floods in several parts of the country. In that year, Pakistan reported at least 1,700 people dead and losses of over $30 billion, with large swathes of crops and infrastructure destroyed by ravaging waters. NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik has stated that Pakistan was receiving 50 to 60 percent more rain this year compared to 2024.
Needless to say, the climate calamity has been getting worse in Pakistan with every passing year. Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is facing extreme weather vagaries with increasing frequency. Among the many factors exasperating climate change is deforestation driven by illegal logging, wildfires, and the conversion of forest land for agriculture, commercial development, and mushrooming housing schemes. Pakistan has the highest deforestation rate in South Asia and now has only five per cent forest cover. In the last 40 years, Pakistan’s forest cover has shrunk by 18pc, falling from 3.78 million hectares in the 1980s to a mere 3.09 million hectares in 2025.
The northern region of Pakistan is dotted with numerous glaciers which are fast melting and retreating because of global warming, with debris such as rocks, soil, and other materials more vulnerable to being dislodged from their bases. Monsoon rains are now further destabilising the mountains, resulting in landslides that sometimes block rivers and cause them to overflow their banks. Glaciologists say that ice melt is a contributing factor causing landslides.
According to experts, Pakistan can minimize flood damage through a combination of structural and non-structural measures, including improving water management infrastructure, enhancing early warning systems, implementing land use planning, and promoting community-based disaster preparedness. Specifically, reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable land management practices can significantly reduce flood risks.
To this end we should plan to build and maintain more dams and retention ponds to help regulate water flow and prevent overflowing. Similarly, investing in comprehensive drainage systems in urban and rural areas can help manage excess water. Wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing excess water and reducing flood peaks. An urgent need is to develop and strengthen early warning systems because timely and accurate flood forecasts can give people ample time to evacuate and move to safer places. Educating communities about flood risks, evacuation procedures, and emergency preparedness can significantly reduce casualties and damage to life and property.
At the same time, the government must pass strict laws to prevent construction in areas at high risk of flooding. Planting trees can help reduce soil erosion, slow down water runoff, and improve water absorption. Forests and mangroves act as natural buffers against floods, absorbing excess water and reducing wave energy. To minimise climate change impacts the government should invest more in climate-resilient infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change, such as more intense rainfall.
Similarly, adopting farming practices that are resilient to changing weather patterns can help reduce flood impacts on agriculture. Expert opinion is that by implementing these measures, Pakistan can significantly reduce its vulnerability to floods and minimize the devastating impacts on lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. And the earlier the suggested remedial measures are taken, the better.