The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Warning Centre issued a three-day forecast for Karachi, predicting light rain showers during night and early morning hours.
Skies are expected to remain cloudy, with maximum daytime temperatures ranging from 33°C and 35°C. Humidity levels may reach 80% percent in the morning, falling to around 65% by evening.
Steady sea breezes will prevail along the coast line for coming days. As monsoon currents continue to move to other parts of Sindh, light rain or drizzle is also expected in the districts of Khairpur, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal and Jamshoro
Moreover, monsoon downpours are periodically lashing other parts of the country, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi. In the last 24 hours Islamabad recorded 184mm of rain, while Narowal and Muzaffarabad saw 62 mm each. Kotli received 57mm, Rawalpindi 54 mm and Murree 42 mm, emphasising the irregular but intense nature of this year’s monsoon.
Moreover, the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergencies Operation Center has issued a landslide alert for northern regions.
Rainfall is expected across valleys of Gilgit‑Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir— Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Astore, Diamer, Ghanche, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Haveli, Bagh and Poonch—while upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa districts including Chitral, Dir and Kohistan face widespread heavy downpours.
The authorities have warned of heightened risks of landslides, mudslides, rockfalls and ground collapses and urged all relevant agencies and residents to remain vigilant and restrict travel on steep or unstable slopes.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The rescue staff have been searching a man and his daughter in Rawalpindi when their car was swept away by gushing water on Tuesday.
The car in which Colonel (retd) Ishaq Qazi and his daughter were travelling was swept away by a strong current in seasonal stream (nullah) after heavy rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad that started on Monday night.
According to eye witnesses, Colonel Qazi had attempted to drive the car across the stream near the edge, but failed to do so. They reportedly called for help from inside the vehicle.
Read more:Floods devastate GB: Three dead, several missing as rescue operations continue
Rescue teams have launched a search operation for them.
Monsoon death toll reaches 221
Heavy monsoon rains have claimed five more lives in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 221. According to the NDMA, the latest victims include two men and three children, while 10 others were injured. Over 804 houses have been completely destroyed in rain-related incidents.
Punjab is the hardest-hit province, with 135 deaths, 470 injuries, and over 190 damaged houses. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 40 deaths and 69 injuries, along with 220 houses damaged. In Sindh, 22 people have died and 40 were injured, while Balochistan reported 16 deaths and four injuries.
At least five children lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district as torrential rains triggered flash floods in various parts of the region, rescue officials said on Tuesday.
Monsoon rains continue to lash many parts of the country, prompting authorities to release an urban flooding warning. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 221 people have been killed and more than 500 others injured in rain-related incidents since June 26.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul, a woman and her two sons were attempting to cross a stream in the Sur Dherai area of Malam Jabba, when her children drowned.
“The mother, holding her 10-month-old baby in her arms, was trying to guide her seven-year-old son across the stream when a flash flood struck. In the chaos, she lost control, and the child in her arms was swept away,” Gul said.
The bodies of the two sons were recovered by rescue personnel after hours of coordinated effort, the official added.
In a separate incident in Gujar Band Shanko area of Madyan, a house collapsed due to heavy rainfall, claiming the lives of three children and seriously injuring a woman.
Upon receiving the emergency call, Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene and retrieved the victims from the rubble with assistance from local volunteers, the spokesperson said.
They were later taken to the Civil Hospital Madyan, where the injured woman was placed under critical care.
Authorities have issued advisories urging residents, particularly those living in mountainous or low-lying areas, to exercise extreme caution during the ongoing monsoon season.
The district administration said it was closely monitoring weather patterns and has mobilised emergency services to respond to any further incidents caused by the relentless rains.
In June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths in Swat while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank.
Damages as rain spell hits KP
A new spell of monsoon rains on Monday hit several parts of the province, damaging houses and crops and suspending traffic.
The high flood in Chitral River triggered by the fast melting of glaciers washed six houses and a large chunk of the farmlands of Junali Koch village near Booni town.
In Yarkhon Valley of Upper Chitral, heavy rains wreaked havoc in Arakhan village in Mirgram and severely damaged dozens of houses. According to residents of the affected villages, a large number of livestock were washed away by the flash floods.
Similarly, the Chitral River was flooded, leaving houses and infrastructure in Ayunand and other low-lying areas of Lower Chitral at risk of damage.
In Bajaur tribal district, authorities closed the Jar Bypass Road, which connects the district to the rest of the country via the main Bajaur-Munda Road, to traffic after heavy rains triggered flooding.
District authorities urged people to use Khar-Qazfi Bypass Road to avoid any potential incidents. Rescue 1122 stated that rescuers have been deployed to deal with any emergency eventuality.
The downpour damaged road infrastructure and bridges in some areas and caused suspension of traffic on Darra Tang Road. Goods and public transport vehicles travelling between KP and Punjab were stranded, adding to the troubles of transporters and commuters.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in her message on World Brain Day, highlighted the significance of mental health and the need for collective awareness regarding brain-related illnesses.
“The human brain is one of the Creator’s most extraordinary creations,” said the Chief Minister, adding that World Brain Day serves as a reminder to focus on mental and neurological health.
She described the brain as “the most complex and astonishing system in the universe,” stressing that ignoring mental health is equivalent to neglecting life itself.
Maryam Nawaz pointed out that individuals suffering from mental illnesses not only endure personal pain but also face societal neglect and insensitivity. “Mental health patients often face apathy and social stigma, making their struggle even harder,” she said.
She reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to preventing mental illnesses through increased awareness, accessible treatment, and educational campaigns.
“A healthy brain lays the foundation for positive thinking and constructive decision-making,” she said, underlining the need to prioritize mental health equally with physical well-being.
The Chief Minister’s message calls for a compassionate and informed approach to mental health, encouraging society to view it as a vital part of overall health.
ISLAMABAD, July 22 (Xinhua) — At least 221 people have been killed and 592 others injured across Pakistan as heavy monsoon rains triggered flash floods and other rain-related incidents since late June, the country’s disaster management authority has said.
In its latest situation report on Monday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the casualties were recorded between June 26 and July 21, with five new deaths and 10 injuries reported in the past 24 hours.
The eastern province of Punjab was the worst affected, with 135 fatalities and 470 injuries. In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 46 people lost their lives and 69 others were injured.
In southern Sindh province, 22 deaths and 40 injuries were reported, while the southwestern province of Balochistan recorded 16 fatalities and four injuries.
The NDMA confirmed no deaths in Gilgit-Baltistan in the north, though three people were injured. Pakistan-controlled Kashmir reported one death and six injuries, while one child was wounded in the Islamabad Capital Territory.
Authorities have issued flood warnings and are coordinating with provincial governments to carry out relief operations and monitor vulnerable areas amid ongoing rainfall. ■
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday warned of a heightened risk of glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as over 200 stranded tourists were rescued from GB’s Diamer district as heavy floods battered the region.
The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB as cloudburst-induced floods wreaked havoc across the region. The flood-related death toll in the region rose to five today, after four lost their lives and 15 went missing yesterday in Diamer’s Babusar area.
In its alert, the PMD warned that the prevailing weather conditions increased the risk of Glofs, flash floods and landslides in vulnerable glaciated regions of GB and KP.
It forecast that the wet spell was likely to continue and could affect GB and KP in the current week, adding that scattered rain and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls, were expected in both regions.
The death toll in GB since yesterday currently stands at five, according to Diamer District Commissioner Attaullah Kakar.
GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said in a statement: “More than 200 rescued tourists have been shifted to Chilas and provided shelter in hotels and guest houses.”
He added that the tourists were now able to contact their families after being stranded for hours.
DC Kakar detailed that rescue operations were still underway to look for missing tourists, while four of the five deceased have been identified. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abdul Hameed, 20 to 30 tourists from different parts of the country might be missing.
According to DC Kakar, the Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA) of the Pakistan Army has been providing medical assistance and food to stranded tourists on Babusar via helicopters.
“One of the five bodies will be transported via helicopter later today,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Diamer administration declared a state of emergency along Thack-Babusar Road, suspending all tourist movement between Zero Point and Babusar Top.
A notification by Diamer District Magistrate Ataur Rehman, seen by Dawn.com, said all travellers “should be stopped at both ends” of the road until further notice.
“All tourists and local residents are strongly advised to evacuate to designated safe zones immediately and to avoid any travel on Babusar Road until its complete rehabilitation,” the notification read.
An emergency control room was also established that will operate “round the clock”. It can be contacted at 05812-920181 and 05812-930037. The district magistrate also ordered six companies to dispatch at least two excavators each to the Babusar area to assist in road rehabilitation and retrieval of bodies, if any.
Muhammad Ali, a local social worker, told Dawn.com: “Thirty vehicles were swept away by the floods, and most people have been rescued by the locals.”
Shahabuddin, a resident of Chilas, said the local people provided food and accommodation to some stranded tourists in Babusar’s Thak area of Babusar and were also assisting the rescue operation.
All doctors and paramedical staff of the Chilas District Headquarters Hospital were called on an emergency basis, according to a notification issued by medical superintendent Dr Abdul Mobin.
Outlining the damage caused by the floods in a statement, DC Kakar said that more than 100 houses had been fully damaged in GB in the recent torrential rains.
Faraq told Dawn.com: “In Babusar, a wheat depot, a girls’ school, a police checkpoint, a tourism police shelter and four bridges have been washed away, while two mosques and a windmill have also been damaged.
Efforts underway to re-open Karakoram Highway
The process of removing debris and re-opening the Karakoram Highway (KKH) was underway by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Works Organisation, National Highway Authority and the GB administration, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
“Several points from Thalichi to Chilas have been cleared. Similarly, traffic has been restored at Jaglot-Skardu road,” the report said.
It added that the process of road clearance was underway in Tatta Pani and Jalipur, while heavy machinery had been dispatched to reopen three points at Gandola Nullah.
“Babusar road was still blocked due to heavy mud on the road, but authorities have been instructed to reach the area,” Faraq said earlier today.
The GB government spokesperson shared that construction has begun on the restoration of highways and connecting roads, after the floods damaged a portion of the KKH, stranding tourists.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to provide every possible assistance and rehabilitation facilities to the flood-affected people across the country, Radio Pakistan reported.
In their separate statements, they directed relevant departments to accelerate relief activities in the affected areas, as well as expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives due to rains.
‘Hundreds’ of stranded tourists rescued in Skardu
Skardu Rescue 1122, in its WhatsApp channel, said three people were injured due to the flood in the Sadpara village, while the deluge has also hit the Kharmang district.
Ghulam Muhammad, spokesperson for the Baltistan Division Police Department, said in a statement: “In Deosai, 413 tourist vehicles were stranded on the road connecting Sadpara and Deosai, after it was closed at ten different points due to the floods.”
According to the spokesperson, the stranded people were rescued by the police and shifted to Skardu in the morning after the damaged roads were restored overnight.
He said, “Heavy rain in Skardu triggered flash floods in Barge Nullah, Dhagyol Nullah and Shagri Bala Nullah on the outskirts of the city.”
“The flood water entered homes and caused severe damage to public infrastructure and crops,” the official added.
NDMA issues landslide alert
According to an NDMA advisory, the following areas in the country’s north may potentially face landsliding: Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Astore, Diamer, Ghanche in GB; Muzaffarabad, Neelum, Haveli, Bagh, Poonch in Azad Jammu and Kashmir; and Chitral, Dir, and Kohistan in KP.
In these areas, the following roads have been identified as prone to landsliding: Kohistan Road, Kolai Palas Road, Jaglot Road, Nagar Road, Hunza Road, Tatta Pani Road, Jaglot Skardu Road.
The NDMA advised citizens to avoid travelling to mountainous areas and directed authorities to remain alert in case of an emergency.
On June 26, the GB Disaster Management Authority issued a warning of increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods (Glof) and flash floods. The public and tourists were advised to avoid going near rivers, streams and other waterways, and avoid bathing or washing clothes in streams since the water flow can reach dangerous levels.
In KP, the tourism department established a flood emergency response unit and appointed six focal persons for different areas of the province.
A notification issued by the department’s secretary Abdul Samad today, seen by Dawn.com, said that the unit was in the office of KP Culture and Tourism Authority with the helpline number 1422.
Two swept away in Rawalpindi’s DHA
Separately, rescue efforts were underway after a retired army officer and his daughter went missing after the car they were in was swept away by the rainwater drain in Rawalpindi, according to the police.
Retired Colonel Ishaq Qazi, aged approximately 62–64 years and a resident of Defence Housing Authority Phase 5, “left his home along with his daughter, aged around 25 years, in a grey Honda City vehicle”, said a statement by Islamabad’s Sihala police station.
“Due to heavy rainwater accumulation on a nearby road, their vehicle stalled. While Colonel Ishaq attempted to restart the car, the flow of water intensified, and both individuals were swept away by the rainwater drain,” it added.
A search operation by the police, Rescue 1122, DHA Phase 5 staff and a team of divers was underway, the statement said. A car bumper was recovered later as the search went on.
A video showed a man steering the vehicle in accumulated floodwater, with a person in the back waving their hand out. The car took a short, sharp slide downwards, after which it got swept away in the water, as some people gathered on a nearby bridge.
Rain-related death toll rises to 234
Monsoon rains, which fall across the region from June to September every year, continue to lash many parts of the country.
According to the NDMA’s website, monsoon rains since June 26 have killed 234 people across the country and injured 596. Of these, 13 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
The majority of casualties were recorded in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, with 135 deaths and 470 injuries. KP reported 56 fatalities, Sindh 24, Balochistan 16, two in Azad Kashmir and one death in Islamabad.
A region-wise breakdown of the nationwide death toll from monsoon rains since June 26, as of July 22. — NDMA website
Over 61 per cent of nationwide deaths were caused by house-collapse incidents. Monsoon rains so far have damaged 826 houses and led to the deaths of 203 livestock.
A spokeswoman for the agency told AFP that the heavy rains usually start later in the monsoon season.
“Such death tolls are usually seen in August, but this year the impact has been markedly different,” she said.
PTA directs telecom operators to ensure uninterrupted services
Separately, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued an advisory to telecom operators, directing them to ensure uninterrupted services and maintain contingency plans for emergencies amid the ongoing floods.
A press release by the PTA said: “The advisory stresses the protection of telecom infrastructure in high-risk areas, availability of critical resources, immediate reporting of service disruptions, and dissemination of flood-related information to the public.”
“Operators have been advised to ensure the continuity of essential services, deploy trained teams, coordinate with local authorities, and efficiently address consumer complaints in affected regions.”
The PTA also activated its National Emergency Telecommunication Coordination Centre and established contact points at its headquarters and zonal offices for real-time coordination, the statement said.
The authority affirmed it was “closely monitoring the situation and will keep the public updated on service restoration efforts in flood-affected areas”.
