Days of monsoon rains and flash floods kill at least 72 in Pakistan
The fatalities, since June 26, were reported in several provinces: the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Punjab, southern Sindh and southwestern Balochistan provinces.
The National Disaster Management Authority urged local officials to remain on high alert and advised tourists to avoid visiting affected areas, as more rains could block highways and trigger flash floods.
Emergency services have been on maximum alert since last month after 17 tourists from the same family were swept away by the Swat River in the northwest. Four were rescued and the bodies of the other 13 were later recovered. Videos circulating online of the family, stranded on a rooftop and pleading for help, sparked outrage and accusations of slow response by emergency crews.
Authorities have warned they cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the 2022 devastating floods when rains at one point inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Devastating Texas floods highlight need for coordination, experience amid Trump era service cuts
As the death toll continues to rise and search and rescue teams continue to look for victims, the devastating flood in Kerr County, Texas show not only the vital role of weather forecasters, but also climate researchers who help make more accurate predictive models, and the coordinators and other administrators with the experience to make sure the right people are working with the right information. Eric Holthaus, meteorologist and climate journalist, talks with Rachel Maddow about the challenge
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas flood toll passes 100 as more bodies recovered
The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas rose to more than 100 on Monday, as rescuers continued their grim search for people swept away by torrents of water. Among the dead were at least 27 girls and counselors who were staying at a youth summer camp on a river when disaster struck over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Forecasters have warned of more flooding as rain falls on saturated ground, complicating recovery efforts involving helicopters, boats, dogs and some 1,750 personnel. "There is still a threat of heavy rain with the potential to cause flooding," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement Monday, with the number of victims expected to rise still. President Donald Trump confirmed he planned to visit Texas on Friday, as the White House slammed critics claiming his cuts to weather agencies had weakened warning systems. "Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie, and it serves no purpose during this time of national mourning," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. She said the National Weather Service, which The New York Times reported had several key roles in Texas unfilled before the floods, issued "timely and precise forecasts and warnings." Trump has described the floods that struck in the early hours of Friday as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected." The president, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state level, has signed a major disaster declaration, activating fresh federal funds and freeing up resources. - 'Tragedy' - At least 104 flood-related deaths were reported across central Texas. Kerr County, through which the Guadalupe River runs, was the hardest hit, with at least 84 people killed including 28 children, according to the local sheriff's office. The toll includes 27 who had been staying at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp that was housing about 750 people when the floodwaters struck. Camps are a beloved tradition in the long US summer holidays, with children often staying in woods, parks and other rural areas. Texas Senator Ted Cruz described them as a chance to make "lifetime friends -- and then suddenly it turns to tragedy." But some residents were questioning the absence of more robust flood-warning systems in this region of south and central Texas -- where such deluges are so frequent that it is known colloquially as "Flash Flood Alley." Experts stress the NWS sent out timely forecasts, and climate scientist Daniel Swain pinned the problem on a failure of "warning dissemination." San Antonio mother Nicole Wilson -- who almost sent her daughters to Camp Mystic -- launched a petition on urging Governor Greg Abbott to approve a modern warning network. "Five minutes of that siren going off could have saved every single one of those children," she told AFP. - Two-story building - In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins as girls at the camp slept. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings were caked in mud. Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. Volunteers were helping search through debris from the river, with some motivated by personal connections to the victims. "We're helping the parents of two of the missing children," Louis Deppe, 62, told AFP. "The last message they got was 'We're being washed away,' and the phone went dead." Months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours on Thursday night into Friday, and rain has continued in bouts since then. The Guadalupe surged around 26 feet (eight meters) -- more than a two-story building -- in just 45 minutes. Flash floods occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall. Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years. bur-aks/st
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘It's sobering' volunteers search debris for bodies in Kerr County
CENTER POINT, Texas (KXAN) — While local, state and federal assets have been active across central Texas in the aftermath of Friday's deadly floods, volunteers are also helping out with efforts coordinated through first responders. On Sunday, Charlie Wolfe and Johnny Fjord assisted in Center Point, Texas. 'There was concern there was a body in the debris pile,' Fjord said. 'It's definitely a sobering thought. You know that it's either going to be someone you know or someone's child you know, so you know it's going to be very sobering for sure.' SUNDAY UPDATES: Search efforts continue in Central Texas after 'catastrophic' flash flooding He and Wolfe worked with a group coordinated by a local fire department. Center Point was also a primary location for various search and rescue efforts Sunday. It's downstream from where the floods began. According to the latest update Sunday, the death toll was at 68 in Kerr County, including 28 children. Some of the victims still haven't been identifies, and the total number of people unaccounted for is unknown. 'We're just here to serve and make sure everyone is recovered, so we can give these families some closure. So that's really where my mindset is at,' Wolfe said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
