August 16, 2025

Heavy rains hammered parts of India and Pakistan, causing deadly flash floods that have killed more than 280 people and left many missing, officials said Friday. These fierce floods struck Indian-controlled Kashmir first, then spread to northern and northwestern Pakistan. Sudden, heavy downpours triggered landslides and floods, especially hitting Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Experts say such cloudbursts are growing more common in the Himalayan regions and northern Pakistan. Climate change is likely making these storms stronger and more dangerous. Leaders from both countries have sent condolences and promised quick help. In India’s Kashmir, the mountain village of Chositi suffered badly. At least 60 people died there, with about 80 missing after raging floods and landslides. Rescuers saved around 300 people on Thursday but had to pause overnight. Many missing locals may have been washed away, and the missing number might rise. Local resident Harvinder Singh joined rescue teams and said he helped recover 33 bodies from the mud. Hospitals treated around 50 injured people, many pulled from water filled with mud and debris. Chositi sits along the route of an annual Hindu pilgrimage to a high mountain shrine at 3,000 meters altitude. The pilgrimage, running from July 25 to September 5, was paused due to the disaster. The floods destroyed the pilgrims’ main kitchen where over 200 people were at mealtime. Many homes and vehicles were washed away as well. Sneha, another survivor, sadly said her husband and daughter were swept away while eating in that kitchen. Authorities set up temporary bridges and cleared debris to help stranded pilgrims cross muddy waters. Nearly 4,000 pilgrims were evacuated. In Pakistan’s northwest, flash floods hit hard, with at least 243 deaths, including 157 in Buner district Friday alone. Rescue efforts are still ongoing with dozens missing. Mohammad Suhail, a local official, said "The death toll may rise as we are still looking for dozens of missing people." Floods destroyed homes, and dozens were injured. Buner declared a state of emergency, with boats and helicopters helping stranded residents. Officials rescued about 2,000 tourists trapped by flooding and landslides in Mansehra district and nearby Siran Valley. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered urgent evacuations during an emergency meeting. Sadly, a helicopter carrying relief supplies crashed in Bajaur region due to bad weather, killing all five onboard. Since late June, 556 people have died in rain-related disasters across the region, including ongoing floods in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan, where landslides disrupted the crucial Karakoram Highway linking Pakistan to China. This scenic region supplies 75% of Pakistan’s stored water. Experts warn of risks from hydroelectric projects in fragile mountainous zones and highlight climate change’s role in heavier rains. A recent study reports rainfall in Pakistan was 10% to 15% higher this summer because of global warming. Last year’s worst monsoon ever killed over 1,700 people and caused $40 billion damage. With more heavy rain forecast, millions remain on edge. The disaster highlights how shocking power of nature, worsened by human impact, threatens lives and landscapes in these beautiful yet vulnerable Himalayan heights.

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Tags: Flash floods, India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Khyber pakhtunkhwa, Climate change,