Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced on Tuesday, August 18, that at least 700 people have died in floods sweeping across the country since early July.

NDMA chief Inam Haider Malik said more than 25,000 people had been rescued from flood-affected regions, but many bodies are still being recovered in the northwest, and dozens remain missing.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has borne the brunt of the disaster, with remote mountainous districts such as Buner emerging as epicenters of devastation. Entire villages have been cut off by landslides and overflowing rivers.

The disaster agency reported that the highest death tolls were recorded in the northern and northwestern mountain areas, including Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla, Battagram, Swat, and Buner. Rescue operations there remain difficult due to blocked roads and damaged infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in Karachi, heavy downpours submerged large parts of the city on Tuesday. Officials reported 145 millimeters of rainfall in a single day, triggering flash floods that swept cars off roads and inundated homes in low-lying neighborhoods.

Television footage showed vehicles floating along main roads and residents wading through waist-deep water. Authorities warned that further urban flooding is possible if monsoon rains continue at the same intensity.

The NDMA has issued fresh warnings of heavy monsoon downpours across Pakistan until September 9. Officials fear that rising casualties and widespread displacement could worsen if rainfall persists, placing greater strain on relief operations.

The unfolding crisis underscores Pakistan's vulnerability to climate disasters, which have grown more frequent and intense in recent years. Experts warn that without stronger disaster preparedness and infrastructure investment, such tragedies will continue to claim hundreds of lives each monsoon season.

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