Rescue Teams Continue Search for Missing After Severe Floods in Pakistan's Northwest
Pakistan has issued a flood alert for southern districts, warning of torrential rains, as rescue teams search for missing people in the northwest where severe floods have killed hundreds. The alert covers regions previously affected by catastrophic floods in 2022. Expected rainfall of up to 100 mm over 24 hours could submerge highways, disrupt transport, and damage infrastructure in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, and Sukkur. At least 41 people died in rain-related incidents in the past 24 hours, mostly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi. Pakistan has suffered above-normal monsoon rains since June 26, killing at least 746 people. Rescuers in Buner district are searching for nearly 150 missing people, with the death toll rising to 290 after more bodies were recovered. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited flood areas, promising financial compensation and infrastructure repairs. Survivors described sudden floodwaters carrying boulders that crushed homes, with many blaming the government for delayed warnings.