By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN aid agencies on Wednesday said that the relentless monsoon rains continue to hit across Pakistan, left villages cut off, homes destroyed and families struggling to access food, clean water and medical care.
UN aid agencies are continuing to work tirelessly to reach the hardest-hit areas.
The National Disaster Management Authority said 800 people have died since late June, 3 times the toll during the same period last year.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been hardest hit, where flash floods and landslides swept away homes and schools in mountainous districts, cutting off entire villages and communities.
Punjab, the most populous province, is on high alert as rising waters on the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers threaten downstream communities.
The authorities fear that upstream water levels and near-full reservoirs could trigger more flooding in the coming days.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, so-called glacier lake outburst floods have added another layer of devastation destroyed homes, water systems and power infrastructure in remote valleys.
WMO said that these floods occur when heavy rains or rising temperatures cause glacial lakes to burst through natural barriers, releasing vast amounts of water and debris. With little warning, they are often catastrophic.
The experts warned that climate change is accelerating glacial melt in the Himalaya–Hindu Kush region, increasing the number and size of unstable lakes and heightening risks of such disasters.
The humanitarian toll is widespread, with over one million people affected nationwide.
Many families are sheltering with host communities rather than in relief camps, citing concerns over livestock and schooling. Health workers are reporting surges in malaria, fever and skin infections, stretching fragile health services.
Despite major efforts led by federal and provincial authorities, supported by the UN and humanitarian partners, critical gaps remain.
According to the UN aid coordination office, the most acute needs are in remote mountain areas, where landslides block access and residents face worse disease, hunger and water shortages.
UNICEF said children face heightened risks, with schools damaged, safe water scarce and protection needs rising.
The agency has dispatched hygiene kits and helped restore key water supplies.
World Health Organization is leading disease surveillance and control operations, in a bid to contain outbreaks.
