Over 300 Dead in Pakistan as Monsoon Rains Unleash Flash Floods and Landslides

Heavy monsoon rains have devastated northern Pakistan, triggering flash floods and landslides that have killed more than 320 people, according to the country's disaster management authority.

The northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the hardest hit, where at least 307 people have died as homes collapsed and rivers overflowed. Additional casualties were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, bringing the national toll to 321.

Authorities said many of the victims included women and children. Dozens were injured and several remain missing after torrents of water swept through mountain villages. Entire communities have been cut off as floodwaters destroyed homes, bridges, and roads.

In Buner district, where the death toll was especially severe, a state of emergency has been declared. "We are dealing with mass destruction - villages submerged, families displaced, and lives lost," a local official said.

Rescue operations have been further complicated by bad weather. A Pakistani military helicopter on a relief mission crashed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing all five crew members on board. The aircraft had been deployed to evacuate stranded residents in remote areas.

Elsewhere in the mountainous Mansehra district, more than 1,300 tourists were rescued after landslides blocked key roads. Several others are feared missing. Provincial authorities have declared multiple districts - including Swat, Bajaur, Shangla, and Battagram - as disaster zones.

The Meteorological Department has issued fresh warnings of heavy rainfall in the northwest over the coming hours, urging people to take precautions.

Every year, Pakistan receives 70-80% of its annual rainfall during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September. While vital for agriculture, the downpours often cause destruction in vulnerable mountain regions. Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of such disasters across South Asia.

The tragedy in Pakistan comes as neighboring India-administered Kashmir faces similar devastation. At least 60 people were killed there on Thursday when sudden floods and landslides struck a Himalayan village, with around 200 still missing.

For many in northern Pakistan, this year's monsoon has once again highlighted the country's vulnerability to extreme weather - and the mounting toll of a climate crisis that shows little sign of easing.