The death toll from sudden floods caused by heavy seasonal rains in Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered part of Kashmir is rapidly rising, with at least 321 confirmed dead. The highest number of casualties occurred in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, according to the local disaster management authority. Most victims died due to flash floods, house collapses, electric shocks, or lightning strikes, according to AFP. The disaster management authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declared many areas as “disaster-hit” and deployed over 2,000 rescue personnel to recover bodies from rubble and carry out relief operations, while ongoing rain hampers rescue efforts. At least 74 houses were damaged, and a rescue plane crashed killing its five-member crew. Nine people were killed in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region, according to authorities.

Meteorologists expect heavy rains until August 21 in the northwest of the country, where several areas have been declared “disaster-hit.” According to BILAL AHMED FAIZI, spokesperson for the agency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, “Heavy rainfall, landslides, and blocked roads hinder ambulance access, forcing rescue workers to move on foot.” Rescue teams want to evacuate survivors, but few are willing to leave because their relatives remain trapped under rubble.

Muhammad Khan, a resident of the Boner district where dozens died, said, “When I woke up this morning, the land our family has farmed for generations and the small field where we played cricket for years had disappeared.” He added, “It seems as if the mountain collapsed; the area is covered with mud and huge rocks,” noting he recovered “19 bodies from under the rubble.” He continued, “We continue searching for missing relatives, and each time we find a body, we feel deep sorrow but also relief knowing the family can recover the body.” Saifullah Khan (32) explained, “People are collecting bodies and performing funeral prayers… but we still do not know who is alive and who has passed away.” In the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, rescue workers recovered bodies from mud and debris last Friday after a flood swept a village in the Himalayas, killing at least 60 people and washing away dozens more, with 80 still missing.

Additionally, five people died in the Gilgit Baltistan tourist region in northern Pakistan, popular especially in summer among mountain climbers worldwide; authorities now advise avoiding the area. Since the start of the “unusual” monsoon season in June, a total of 657 people, including hundreds of children, have died, and 888 were injured, according to authorities. Pakistan is the fifth most populous country globally and one of the most vulnerable to climate change effects. Authorities warned that rains will intensify over the next two weeks. Scientists say climate change has made weather events more severe and frequent. In July, Punjab, home to about half of Pakistan’s 255 million people, recorded a 73 percent increase in rainfall compared to the previous year and a higher death toll than the entire previous monsoon season. The monsoon brings about 70 to 80 percent of South Asia’s rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security but also causing damage.