Pakistan is bracing for increasingly severe monsoon conditions as authorities warn of heightened flood risks, with over 400 people reported dead from recent rains and disasters. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has alerted the public to the likelihood of three more intense monsoon spells, projecting rainfall to reach nearly 50 percent above average levels. Urban flooding is a significant concern for major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Gujranwala, as heavy rainfall continues to strain existing infrastructure.
NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider told the media that heavy rains and flash floods have already caused significant destruction, especially in districts such as Buner, Bajaur, and Battagram. These areas alone have recorded at least 313 casualties, with additional deaths reported from tourist accidents in the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region, bringing the overall death toll to more than 400. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and many families remain stranded in remote and inaccessible regions.
Landslides triggered by the extreme weather have damaged critical roadways in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, isolating numerous communities. The NDMA is prioritizing the restoration of communication links and transportation routes while dispatching relief and food supplies to the hardest-hit districts. Meteorologists forecast that monsoon activity will continue until early September, with key periods of heavy rainfall expected in the coming weeks. The NDMA has linked the extraordinary severity of the current monsoon to extreme summer heat and the escalating impacts of climate change.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Prime Minister has ordered a comprehensive survey of damaged areas and immediate dispatch of relief packages. Rehabilitation of public infrastructure will begin once monsoon rains subside, coordinated with the Ministries of Communications and Housing. The next two weeks will see increased focus on northern Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, where risks remain most acute.
NDMA officials have warned that the intensity of the current monsoon spell will increase as new weather systems move in from the Bay of Bengal and across the Afghan border. Tarbela Dam is now almost at full capacity, which could add to flooding should inflows continue to rise. Water levels have already surged in localities such as Kattarian and Gawalmandi, and new downpours along the Sulaiman mountain range are threatening further floods in areas including Neelum, Poonch, and Bagh in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Peshawar, Chitral, Dir, and Charsadda.
Preparations for the monsoon season began early in the year, involving collaboration with provincial governments, according to NDMA Member Operations Brigadier Kamran. Despite these measures, the exceptional power of this year’s monsoon has outpaced many preparedness efforts. Authorities underline the urgent need for enhanced national resilience and the implementation of coordinated climate adaptation strategies to address future threats.
