Rain rage lashes KP, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, triggering flood alerts

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Rain halts rescue operation in Buner: Dam collapse cuts off Chakwal Road: Rivers swell as hopes for survivors wane in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Five tourists die as vehicle falls into Neelum ravine: Poonch University lecturer dies after swept away by flood: Localities flooded, crops destroyed after River Sutlej bursts its banks in Burewala: PDMA issues rain alert for ‘dry’ Balochistan

2025-08-18T08:56:00+05:00 News Desk

The Met Office has warned of intensified monsoon rains across the country with very heavy downpours expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, Sindh and Balochistan from today (Monday), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

With forecast of rain in Karachi and other several Sindh cities, the Met Office further alerted that there is a strong fear of cloudbursts in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock.

Rains threaten flooding, landsliding in Margalla Hills

A new spell of monsoon rains has struck Islamabad and Rawalpindi, raising fears of landslides and flooding in the Margalla Hills following torrential downpours.

Authorities have warned that water levels in the Swan River and Korang Nullah could rise dangerously, prompting the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to issue precautionary instructions to residents.

Special advisories have been issued to people living in Saidpur Village and the E-11 sector, urging them to remain alert to the situation.

Meanwhile, the CDA, Rescue 1122, Metropolitan Police Officers, and other concerned departments have been placed on high alert to deal with any potential emergencies.

Heavy rains lash KP

Heavy rainfall lashed Peshawar, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, and the Tirah Valley of Khyber, causing streams in mountainous areas to swell with strong currents.

Peshawar’s drainage system choked

In Peshawar, the rains turned streets and alleys into ponds, with water accumulating in central locations, including Saddar Bazaar. Despite rain alerts, drainage channels in the city were not cleaned, leaving the drainage system completely paralyzed.

The Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP), which has received billions of rupees from the national exchequer, was accused of complete failure in handling the situation.

Citizens complained that the institution exists only on paper and in claims, while Peshawar’s administration is “mocking the public”.

https://x.com/PeshawarX/status/1957293797596893647

Swabi roads submerged

Meanwhile, in Swabi, heavy rains also left roads and streets submerged, presenting a similar picture of urban flooding.

Rain halts rescue operation in Buner

Rain on Monday halted search and rescue operations in Buner District after flash floods.

Volunteers had been assisting hundreds of rescue workers in their race against time to find possible survivors and retrieve bodies as fresh rains started lashing the province.

"This morning fresh rains forced a halt to relief operations," said Nisar Ahmad, 31, a volunteer in worst-hit Buner district, where "12 villages have been completely wiped out and 219 bodies have been recovered".

"Dozens of bodies are still buried under the mud and rocks, which can only be recovered with heavy machinery. However, the makeshift tracks built to access the area have once again been destroyed by the new rains," he added.

Around 200 people are still missing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to local authorities.

Many people fled to seek shelter under damaged infrastructure and in the mountains in Buner, an area with difficult terrain.

"Even if it rains a little now, we feel scared because there was light rain that day. And then the unsuspecting people were swept away by the storm," said Buner resident Ghulam Hussain, 35.

"Children and women are running and screaming up the mountains to escape," Hazrat Ullah, 18, told AFP.

Volunteer Ahmad said there were also fears for the future due to a lack of food supplies and clean water. "Many livestock have also perished in the cloudburst, and their decomposing bodies are spreading a foul odour in several places. Right now, our most urgent need is clean drinking water, and I appeal to the government to provide it," he said.

Roads blocked in Abbottabad

Heavy rainfall in Abbottabad’s Galiyat region triggered landslides in three different areas, blocking vital connecting roads.

The Additional Assistant Commissioner issued immediate instructions for the restoration of traffic routes, following which an operation was launched to remove the debris from the landslides.

Dam collapse cuts Chakwal Road

Continuous rainfall over the past four hours in Chakwal and Talagang caused a dam on the Chak Malook to Chakwal road to collapse, leading to the swelling of the seasonal Nullah Ghabir near Kallar Kahar in Thar Chak. The incident severed the road link between Chak Malook and Chakwal.

Authorities have expressed concern that nearby settlements could be submerged as floodwaters rise. In response, the district administration has set up a control room at the Deputy Commissioner’s office to monitor the situation.

Nullah Ghabir flows through Tehsil Kallar Kahar, Chakwal, and Talagang before merging into the River Attock, posing a wider risk of flooding downstream.

Mansehra schools ordered shut

Meanwhile, in Mansehra, authorities warned of severe monsoon downpours. Acting on the forecast, Deputy Commissioner Mansehra issued a notification ordering the closure of both government and private educational institutions for two days.

According to the notification, schools will remain closed today and tomorrow. Earlier in the morning, all schools had reopened and were operating as usual before the sudden directive was issued.

Flood risk looms in AJK

A fresh spell of monsoon rains has begun in most northern, upper, and central parts of Azad Kashmir, breaking the intensity of heat and easing humidity while making the weather pleasant.

However, the downpours have also raised water levels in rivers and posed a threat of flooding in streams and nullahs. In light of recent incidents, the AJK government is considering imposing restrictions on tourists to ensure safety.

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has also issued advisory instructions, urging travellers to exercise caution during journeys in the affected regions.

According to weather forecasts, the ongoing rain spell is expected to continue until August 22.

Clouds fall in Khushab, Jhang, Attock, Layyah

Heavy rain has occurred in the Khushab and Jhang areas of Punjab, while clouds have also fallen in Attock, Layyah, and Dunyapur.

Five tourists die as vehicle falls into Neelum ravine

Five people, including a woman tourist and driver, were dead and a girl became seriously injured when their Pajero jeep fell into a ravine in Neelum Valley of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The accident took place in Shandas area of Neelum Valley. The ill-fated Pajero jeep was taking the tourists to Taubat from Khel.

Soon after the incident rescue team rushed to the spot and shifted the dead and injured persons to ADS Helmut.

The identity of all the victims is still unknown.

Poonch University lecturer dies after falling into rain drain

A female lecturer of the University of Poonch breathed her last as her vehicle swept away in the rain drain in Rawalakot on Monday.

Later, she was rescued from the rain drain, but she died in the hospital.

Rain alert for ‘dry’ Balochistan

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday issued a rain alert for more than 20 areas of Balochistan from August 18 to 22. The province is so far not impacted by the heavy monsoon rains.

The PDMA alert stated that Khuzdar, Kalat, Awaran, Lasbella, Surab, Kech and Gwadar, Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Barkhan, Zhob and Sherani areas will receive heavy rains with strong and medium winds during the above-mentioned period.

Rain is also expected in Dukki, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Harnai, Sibi, and Punjur areas of Balochistan.

The PDMA urged people to adopt precautionary measures during the rainy season. The PDMA also advised farmers to adopt measures safety of their solar panels.

River Sutlej bursts banks in Burewala 

Hundreds of localities and crops grown over thousands of acres of land were inundated while Ghulam Ali Joye dyke was damaged after the River Sutlej burst its banks near Burewala, forcing the residents to move to safe places.

On the other hand, the water level in the river, which was in low flood, continued to rise. 

Road links between Jamleera, Sahoka, Dala Akooka, Murad Ali Shah, Puran Saldeera and Gahi Shah were severed after all these areas were submerged under water.   

Localities namely Rakh Jamleera, Chakar Motyan Wala, Tiba Mian Ghulam Ali, Basti Khokhran, Basti Hafiz Saleem, Basti Zahoor Wattoo, Basti Ali Ahmad Jatyana, Basti Mochyan and Basti May Khan were also flooded.

Rescue teams relocated people to safe places, while the tehsil administration set up relief camps.   

Flood in River Sutlej in Kasur

The River Sutlej is in low to medium flood at Kasur. About 80,000 cusecs of water was passing through the river at Ganda Singh till last reports came in.  

On Sunday, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that three more spells of monsoon rains would enter Pakistan which will last until September 10.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that Pakistan had been badly affected by climate change. “This year, the monsoon season has covered a large swathe of the country due to excessive heat,” he said, and added, “This year, the country has received 50 percent more rainfall.”  

Couple die in Nowshera roof collapse

A man and his wife were killed after the roof of their house caved in at Pabbi in district Nowshera.

Rescue teams shifted the bodies to a hospital.

The deceased were identified as 29-year-old Asad Umar and his 24-year-old wife.

Rivers rage

The water level is rising in main rivers as rescuers dug homes out from under massive boulders as they searched for survivors of flash floods that killed over 400 people, with more than 150 people still missing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday. 

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has said River Indus is flowing in medium flood with rising trend at Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa and low flood with steady trend at Tarbela while Rivers Kabul and Sutlej were also running in low flood.

According to the daily FFC report, Rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Swat are flowing normally at their respective gauging stations.

The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) Lahore predicted a wet spell, with heavy to very heavy rainfall up to 19th August 2025. As per the prevailing meteorological conditions, flash flooding is expected in the tributaries of the River Kabul and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan Division and nullahs of East Balochistan from 17th August (night) to 19th August 2025.

Urban flooding is also expected in Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Lahore during the period.

River Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala is expected to remain in low to medium flood level for the next few days, subject to releases from India. Medium to high level river flows are expected in rivers Kabul, Chenab and Jhelum, along with associated nullahs of rivers Ravi and Chenab.

Medium level flows are also expected in the river Indus at Tarbela.

Hopes for finding survivors wane

Rescuers dug homes out from under massive boulders as they searched for survivors of flash floods that killed more than 400 people, with more than 150 still missing.

Torrential rains across the country since Thursday have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the rubble.

Most of the deaths, 350, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses.

"We saw all the houses, buildings, and vehicles being swept away like pieces of wood. We managed to climb up the mountain, and when we looked down, our home was gone," said Suleman Khan, a schoolteacher in Buner district who lost 25 relatives.

More than 150 people are missing in Buner, where at least 208 people were killed and "10 to 12 entire villages" were partially buried, officials told AFP.

"They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes or swept away by floodwaters," said Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

"Separately, in Shangla district, dozens of people are also reported missing," Khattak added.

Reporters: Farhat Shah, Kashif Hussain, Zakir Hussain Khan, Syed Noman Shah, Mohsin Jafri, Ambassador Raza, Zubair Awan and Essa Tarin/Agencies

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