Pakistan – Severe weather, floods and landslides, update

Recently Pakistan experienced a severe spell of rainstorms, hailstorms, flash floods, and landslides caused by strong western weather systems affecting the country’s northern and central regions. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued repeated warnings regarding heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, and hailstorms across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and northern Balochistan.

The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was reported as the most severely affected area during the May weather system. Districts including Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Dir, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Peshawar experienced heavy rain, thunderstorms, and isolated hailstorms. Continuous rainfall triggered landslides in mountainous regions, blocking roads and disrupting transportation and communication networks. Torrential rains and flash floods continued to wreak havoc in Low­er Kohistan for the fourth consec­utive day, leaving one person dead, dozens injured and more than 20 vehicles damaged along the Kara­koram Highway. More than 20 vehicles, including passenger coaches, freight trucks and tourist vehicles, were report­edly hit by landslides and flood debris during the ongoing spell of bad weather. Authorities warned tourists and local residents to avoid unnecessary travel because unstable slopes and falling rocks created dangerous conditions on highways and link roads.

In Lahore and other parts of Punjab, intense rainfall and hailstorms caused urban flooding and traffic disruptions. Water accumulated in low-lying areas, forcing emergency drainage operations by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and provincial disaster authorities.

The PMD further warned that hailstorms and strong winds could damage weak infrastructure, including electric poles, solar panels, signboards, and agricultural crops. Farmers in upper Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered losses to wheat crops, orchards, and vegetables due to heavy hailstorms and strong winds.

The PMD noted that possible El Niño conditions during the 2026 monsoon season could intensify rainfall patterns and increase the risks of flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage in the coming months. Authorities therefore urged to maintain emergency preparedness, strengthen drainage management, and improve disaster response coordination to reduce future losses.