PESHAWAR – At least 43 people have died and dozens remain missing after extreme weather linked to climate change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unleashed floods, landslides and roof collapses across the province, officials said on Friday.
The worst-hit area was Salarzai in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa‘s Bajaur district, where a sudden cloudburst triggered by intense monsoon activity sent torrents of water through the village. Rescue workers recovered 12 bodies from the debris and mud, while four survivors were found alive. At least 17 villagers are still missing as search operations continue.
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Elsewhere in the province, five people were killed and four injured in Lower Dir’s Maidan Suri Pao area when the roof of a home collapsed under continuous rainfall. In Mansehra’s Basyan, a vehicle carrying six passengers was swept away by a flood surge; three survived, two were killed, and one was injured.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a high alert, warning of more floods and landslides in the coming days. Officials say climate change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is intensifying rainfall patterns, causing sudden cloudbursts and increasing the risk of deadly flash floods in mountainous areas.
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Chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur called the loss of life “a tragedy for the entire province” and ordered helicopters and emergency teams to Bajaur. District administrations in Dir and Swat have been told to remain on high alert, with rescue shelters and evacuation plans activated.
Climate experts say the scale and frequency of such disasters are growing, pointing to recent years where climate change in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has caused record floods, glacial lake outbursts, and prolonged rainfall events, displacing thousands and destroying infrastructure.
For now, Bajaur’s survivors remain in makeshift shelters, waiting for the rain to stop — and hoping the next surge of water will not come.
