Floods in Pakistan leave nearly 1 000 dead, 6.3 million affected and 2.9 million displaced since June 26
Monsoon floods in Pakistan have killed at least 972 people and injured about 1 062 since June 26, 2025, affecting 6.3 million and displacing 2.9 million across the country. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains the worst-hit province with more than 500 fatalities, while Punjab has reported 290 deaths and Sindh over 173 000 displaced. Health authorities have also issued dengue alerts for major cities in Sindh, where stagnant floodwaters heighten the risk of outbreaks.
Flood damage in Pakistan - August 2025. Credit: NDMA
- Since June 26, monsoon floods in Pakistan have killed at least 972 people, injured about 1 060, affected 6.3 million, and displaced more than 2.9 million.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the worst-hit province with over 500 fatalities, Punjab has recorded 290 deaths, and Sindh more than 173 000 displaced. Floods have damaged 8 481 houses, destroyed 239 bridges, and forced closure of the strategic Multan–Sukkur Motorway.
- The Indus and Chenab rivers remain at high flood levels as further rainfall is forecast across northern Pakistan through September 19, sustaining flood risk in river basins and mountainous regions.
- Authorities have issued dengue alerts for major cities in Sindh, where stagnant floodwaters, high humidity, and warm temperatures are creating conditions highly favorable for mosquito-borne disease outbreaks.
Severe flooding continues to affect Pakistan, with southern Punjab districts of Multan, Bahawalpur, and Lodhran reporting seven deaths over the past 48 hours.
High flood levels persist in the Indus River at Guddu and Sukkur, Sindh, prompting warnings of further inundation. Meanwhile, the Multan–Sukkur Motorway (M-5), a 392 km (244 miles) section of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor that serves as a key transport link between southern Punjab and Sindh. Its closure has disrupted relief logistics and supply chains, further complicating access to flood-affected districts.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), as of September 16, the 2025 monsoon season has killed at least 972 people and injured about 1 060. More than 6.3 million people are affected nationwide, with over 2.9 million displaced.
Floods have damaged 8 481 houses and destroyed 239 bridges, disrupting transport and access to affected communities.
Provincial data show that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 504 fatalities and 218 injuries, while Punjab has reported 290 deaths and 660 injuries.
In Sindh, more than 173 000 people have been displaced, particularly in Gotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur districts. NDMA notes that reporting lags and verification processes may cause discrepancies between provincial and national totals.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a westerly wave coupled with moisture from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal is expected to bring further rainfall over the next 2 days. Scattered rainfall and thunderstorms are forecast across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with isolated heavy falls likely in some districts. In Punjab, isolated rainfall is expected in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, coastal districts of Sindh (Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpur Khas, Tharparkar) and Balochistan (Lasbela, Gwadar, Ormara) may experience isolated showers through September 17. This could sustain high flows in the Indus and Chenab basins, while also raising the risk of flash flooding and landslides in mountainous areas of northern Pakistan.
Authorities have issued Dengue Alert-I, dated September 15, from the Climate Change Impact and Integration Cell of the PMD. The alert was circulated to the Sindh Health Department and local administrations across Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and other divisions, warning that conditions between September 20 and early December are unusually favorable for a dengue outbreak, particularly in flood-affected areas.
The risk factors include sustained temperatures between 26–29°C (79–84°F), relative humidity above 60%, and recent rainfall. According to PMD, these conditions, when maintained for three to five weeks, create an ideal environment for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the primary dengue vector. Outbreak risks typically increase for several weeks following heavy rainfall due to stagnant water serving as mosquito breeding grounds.
In Sindh, large swathes remain waterlogged following the floods, with urban drainage systems overwhelmed in cities such as Karachi and Hyderabad. Overcrowded emergency shelters and inadequate sanitation in flood-affected districts are further compounding the risks.
In response, the Sindh Health Department has been instructed to step up vector control operations, including widespread fumigation, application of larvicides, and drainage of stagnant pools. Public advisories urge residents to eliminate standing water in containers, cover stored water, and use repellents or protective nets, especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
Hospitals across Sindh and Punjab are already reporting an increase in dengue and other mosquito-borne infections. Health officials have warned that if floodwaters persist, case numbers could rise sharply in the coming weeks, straining already burdened medical facilities in major urban centers.
Relief efforts are ongoing, coordinated by NDMA with support from provincial authorities, the Pakistan Army, and international organizations, including the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs.
Emergency shelters have been established in affected provinces, but access to many areas remains difficult due to damaged infrastructure and persistent floodwaters.
The scale of the disaster recalls the catastrophic 2022 Pakistan floods, which killed more than 1 700 people and displaced about 8 million.
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