RABAT: Flash-flooding caused by sudden, heavy rain killed at least 21 people in the Moroccan coastal town of Safi on Sunday, local authorities said. Images on social media showed a torrent of muddy water sweeping cars and rubbish bins from the streets in Safi, which sits around 300 kilometres (186 miles) south of the capital Rabat. At least 70 homes and businesses in the historic old city were flooded, authorities said. Another 32 people were injured and taken to hospital, but most of them have been discharged. Damage to roads cut off traffic along several routes to and from the port city on the Atlantic coast. &quot;It&#39;s a black day,&quot; resident Hamza Chdouani told AFP. By evening, the water level had receded, leaving people to pick through a mud-sodden landscape to salvage belongings. Another resident, Marouane Tamer, questioned why government trucks had not been dispatched to pump out the water. As teams searched for other possible casualties, the weather service forecast more heavy rain on Tuesday across the country. Severe weather and flooding are not uncommon in Morocco, which is struggling with a severe drought for the seventh consecutive year. The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) said 2024 was Morocco&#39;s hottest year on record, while registering an average rainfall deficit of -24.7 percent. Moroccan autumns are typically marked by a gradual drop in temperatures, but climate change has affected weather patterns and made storms more intense because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and warmer seas can turbocharge the systems.&nbsp;

Africa

Flash floods triggered by heavy rain killed 21 people in Morocco’s coastal town of Safi, flooding homes, damaging roads and vehicles, injuring dozens, and highlighting worsening extreme weather linked to climate change

Flash floods kill 21 in Moroccan coastal town

Maryam Shah

ISLAMABAD: The catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,200 people across Southeast Asia in recent weeks are not a distant warning for South Asia but &ldquo;a mirror of what Pakistan has already experienced and will face again,&rdquo; according to climate scientists.&nbsp;Across Indonesia and Sri Lanka, rapid heatwaves followed by early monsoon onset and cloudburst-style rainfall, the same sequence that devastated Pakistan in 2022 and again in 2025, have displaced more than 1.5 million people since late November.&nbsp;&ldquo;South Asia has entered &lsquo;new operating conditions&rsquo; where traditional monsoon timelines no longer apply,&rdquo; said Dr. Zainab Naeem, an environmental sciences researcher at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, she added: &ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening in Southeast Asia right now mirrors exactly what we&#39;ve been experiencing in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Parallel crises across regionIn Indonesia, the island of Sumatra recorded 604 deaths after a rare tropical storm triggered widespread flash floods and landslides. In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 355 people and forced nearly 180,000 residents into emergency shelters. In both countries, prolonged dry spells were followed by sudden, moisture-laden systems that unleashed months&rsquo; worth of rainfall in a matter of days.&nbsp;Asia warming faster than global averageAccording to regional climate assessments, Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. In 2023 alone, the continent experienced 79 water-related disasters, the majority of them floods and storms.&nbsp;Pakistan has already felt the force of this shift. The 2022 floods submerged one-third of the country, killed more than 1,700 people, and caused damages and economic losses estimated at $30 billion, according to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and World Bank figures.&nbsp;This year, unseasonably early monsoon systems again triggered deadly flooding across multiple provinces.&nbsp;Women face disproportionate impactsWomen remain at heightened risk during climate-driven disasters. During Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods, the UN Population Fund estimated that 650,000 pregnant women were in affected areas, with around 73,000 expected to give birth without access to maternal health services.&nbsp;Protection systems frequently collapse in displacement camps, increasing incidents of gender-based violence. Women, who often work agricultural land without legally owning it, are also excluded from compensation schemes when crops are destroyed.&nbsp;Science&ndash;policy gap leaves countries exposedDespite growing scientific clarity, preparedness remains uneven across the region.&nbsp;&ldquo;The biggest problem is not the absence of policies, it&rsquo;s the disconnect between high-level frameworks and ground implementation,&rdquo; Dr. Naeem said. &ldquo;Technical expertise is missing in many departments. Without integrating scientific evidence into urban planning and governance, we simply cannot manage these impacts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Cities across South and Southeast Asia continue to expand into flood-prone zones, while drainage systems and protective infrastructure remain outdated or overstretched.&nbsp;Warning Pakistan cannot ignoreRescue operations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are ongoing, with military aircraft airlifting patients from inundated hospitals and naval vessels delivering supplies to isolated districts. The events underscore a clear message for Pakistan: such disasters are no longer &ldquo;once in a generation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Regional environmental agencies stress the urgent need to strengthen early-warning systems, redesign land-use planning, and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. Without such measures, they warn, human and economic losses will accelerate.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods were described as unprecedented. Three years later, similarly devastating events have become routine across Asia. The question is no longer whether such disasters will strike again, but whether governments will be prepared when they do.

A woman carrying a child wades through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025, after a powerful cyclone. (AFP)

Natural Disaster

Climate

In regions across Asia, intensifying heatwaves, early monsoons and extreme floods are overwhelming communities, exposing weak infrastructure and highlighting urgent need for climate-resilient planning protection.

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

BANDA ACEH: Governments and aid groups in Indonesia and Sri Lanka worked to rush aid on Tuesday to hundreds of thousands stranded by deadly flooding that has killed around 1,200 people in four countries.&nbsp; Torrential monsoon season deluges, paired with two separate tropical cyclones last week, dumped heavy rain across all of Sri Lanka and parts of Indonesia&#39;s Sumatra, southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. Climate change is producing more intense rain events because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, and warmer oceans can turbocharge storms. The floodwaters have now largely receded, but the devastation means hundreds of thousands of people are now living in shelters and struggling to secure clean water and food. In Indonesia&#39;s Aceh, one of the worst-affected regions, residents told AFP that survivors who could afford to were stockpiling supplies. &quot;Road access is mostly cut off in flood-affected areas,&quot; 29-year-old Erna Mardhiah said as she joined a long queue at a petrol station in Banda Aceh. &quot;People are worried about running out of fuel,&quot; she added from the line she had been in for two hours. The pressure has caused skyrocketing prices. &quot;Most things are already sky-high... chillies alone are up to 300,000 rupiah per kilo ($18), so that&#39;s probably why people are panic-buying,&quot; she said. On Monday, Indonesia&#39;s government said it was sending 34,000 tons of rice and 6.8 million litres of cooking oil to the three worst-affected provinces, Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. &quot;There can be no delays,&quot; Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said. Food shortage riskAid groups said they were working to ship supplies to affected areas, warning that local markets were running out of essential supplies and prices had tripled already. &quot;Communities across Aceh are at severe risk of food shortages and hunger if supply lines are not reestablished in the next seven days,&quot; charity group Islamic Relief said. A shipment of 12 tonnes of food from the group aboard an Indonesian navy vessel was due to arrive in Aceh on Tuesday. At least 631 people were killed in the floods across Sumatra, and 472 are still listed as missing. A million people have evacuated from their homes, according to the disaster agency. Survivors have described terrifying waves of water that arrived without warning. In East Aceh, Zamzami said the floodwaters had been &quot;unstoppable, like a tsunami wave.&quot; &quot;We can&#39;t explain how big the water seemed; it was truly extraordinary,&quot; said the 33-year-old, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. People in his village sheltered atop a local two-storey fish market to escape the deluge and were now trying to clean the mud and debris left behind while battling power and telecommunications outages. &quot;It&#39;s difficult for us (to get) clean water,&quot; he told AFP on Monday. &quot;There are children who are starting to get fevers, and there&#39;s no medicine.&quot; The weather system that inundated Indonesia also brought heavy rain to southern Thailand, where at least 176 people were killed. Across the border in Malaysia, two more people were killed. Colombo floodwaters recede&nbsp;A separate storm brought heavy rains across all of Sri Lanka, triggering flash floods and deadly landslides that killed at least 390 people. Another 352 remain missing, and some of the worst-hit areas in the country&#39;s centre are still difficult to reach. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency to deal with what he called the &quot;most challenging natural disaster in our history&quot;. Unlike his Indonesian counterpart, he has called for international aid. Sri Lanka&#39;s air force, backed by counterparts from India and Pakistan, has been evacuating stranded residents and delivering food and other supplies. In the mountainous Welimada region, security forces on Monday recovered the bodies of 11 residents buried by mudslides, a local official said. In the capital Colombo meanwhile, floodwaters were slowly subsiding on Tuesday. The speed with which waters rose around the city surprised local residents used to seasonal flooding. &quot;Every year we experience minor floods, but this is something else,&quot; delivery driver Dinusha Sanjaya told AFP. &quot;It is not just the amount of water, but how quickly everything went under.&quot; Rains have eased across the country, but landslide alerts remain in force across most of the hardest-hit central region, officials said.

A youth carries an elderly man as they wade through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025. (AFP)

Deadly floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia have killed around 1,200 people and displaced over a million. Governments and aid groups race to deliver food, clean water, and supplies as devastated regions face shortages and rising prices.

Race to get aid to Asia flood survivors as toll nears 1,200 

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy personnel rescued a stranded Sri Lankan family, including a seven-month-old infant, during ongoing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, the service said Monday. In a statement issued by the Director General Public Relations of Pakistan Navy, the force confirmed that an embarked Z-9 helicopter from Pakistan Navy Ship SAIF conducted the operation in the flooded Kotikawatta area. According to the statement, the family had been &ldquo;stranded for the last five days&rdquo; and was found on a rooftop as floodwaters rose. &ldquo;The stranded family, including a 7-month-old infant, was safely recovered from a rooftop,&rdquo; the Pakistan Navy said. It added that the evacuees were later transported to a secure location &ldquo;in coordination with local authorities.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdP8I2HN3PM?si=CKe02JvR2ZQAlwqM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div> Calling the mission a demonstration of operational readiness, the statement said, &ldquo;The successful conduct of the rescue operation is a testimony of the Pakistan Navy&#39;s professionalism and commitment to international obligations.&rdquo; The Navy confirmed that PNS SAIF, with its helicopter detachment, is currently on an overseas deployment to Sri Lanka. The rescue comes as Sri Lanka faces one of the region&rsquo;s worst flooding disasters in years. The death toll across parts of Asia has surpassed 1,100, with Sri Lanka and Indonesia among the hardest hit. Heavy rains linked to Cyclone Ditwah caused the Kelani River to overflow, submerging large swathes of Colombo and surrounding districts. Official figures show 257 of the 355 confirmed deaths in Sri Lanka were in the central tea-growing highlands, while 366 people remain missing. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency and pledged to &ldquo;build back better&rdquo; with international support. Nearly 210,000 people are currently sheltering in relief camps, and another 1.15 million require assistance, according to government data. Authorities said water levels in Colombo have peaked and are expected to recede soon. &ldquo;Colombo floods are at their maximum now,&rdquo; Irrigation Director L. S. Sooriyabandara said, noting that conditions elsewhere were beginning to improve. With additional inputs from AFP

Foreign Affairs

Health

Flood situation in Sri Lanka worsens as Pakistan Navy rescues a stranded family during HADR operations, while authorities report soaring casualties and hundreds of thousands displaced


Pakistan Navy rescues stranded Sri Lankan family amid deadly floods

MEXICO CITY: Flooding caused by heavy rains in central and southeastern Mexico has set off landslides, damaged homes and highways, and left at least 22 people dead, authorities said on Friday. One of the hardest hit areas was the central state of Hidalgo, where 16 deaths have been reported, according to state Interior Secretary Guillermo Olivares Reyna. At least 1,000 homes, 59 hospitals and clinics, and 308 schools have suffered damage in the state because of landslides and rivers topping their banks. Some 17 of the states 84 municipalities were without electricity, he said. In neighboring Puebla state, three people died and 13 were missing, according to Gov. Alejandro Armenta. He requested help from the federal government to rescue 15 people, including some children, who were stranded on rooftops by floodwaters. He estimated some 80,000 people were affected by the heavy rains and said a gas pipeline was ruptured by a landslide. In the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, two people died, including a police officer, Gov. Roc&iacute;o Nahle said. The city of Poza Rica was one of the hardest hit by river flooding. Authorities cut electricity as a precaution. Earlier, authorities in the central state of Queretaro confirmed that the child had died after being caught in a landslide.

Americas

Gov. Alejandro Armenta requests help from government to rescue 15 people, estimates some 80,000 people affected by heavy rains.

Flooding in central, southeast Mexico kills 22, damages homes, hospitals

KHANEWAL: Most of the 2.6 million people displaced by record floods in Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab province have returned home to find their houses damaged and their crops destroyed, as authorities promised Thursday to compensate all victims.&nbsp;Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains and water from overflowing dams in India since August has damaged 2.5 million acres of farmland and killed 118 people, according to Punjab relief commissioner, Nabil Javed.&nbsp;In a statement, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority said August brought the province&rsquo;s worst flooding on record.&nbsp;Displaced families are returning now that the water is receding, he said, adding said authorities will begin a survey next week to assess damage to crops, homes and infrastructure in Punjab.&nbsp;Many survivors said they learned about their losses only upon returning to the flood-hit villages. In Qatalpur village in Punjab, 45-year-old Mohammad Mohsin broke down after returning from a relief camp with his family. His house is still standing, but is riddled with cracks.&nbsp;&ldquo;The flood destroyed us, our crops are gone,&rdquo; he told The Associated Press. &ldquo;We survived the waters, but I fear one day the roof will fall on us. My house needs urgent repair, but so far we have received no government aid.&quot;&nbsp;In the same village, Parveen Bibi, 39, showed the remains of her broken home where she now sleeps with her children.&nbsp;&ldquo;During the flood, we stayed on the riverbank and got food from the government,&rdquo; she said. Bibi said so far, no official has visited to assess their losses.&nbsp;Along a roadside in Khanewal district in Punjab, Sajjad Hussain, 52, said he spent a week under the open sky with his family after his village was submerged earlier this month.&nbsp;&ldquo;Now that the water has gone, I am going back,&rdquo; the farmer said. &ldquo;Even if the government only gives me a tent, I will thank God.&quot;&nbsp;The swelling of the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers in recent weeks was &ldquo;unprecedented,&rdquo; said Irfan Ali Kathia, the authority&rsquo;s director general. &ldquo;Water has receded in most areas,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Kathia said the waters are now moving south toward Sindh province.&nbsp;Pakistan witnessed its most devastating monsoon season in 2022 when floods killed 1,739 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage.

Climate & Environment

2.6 million people displaced by recent floods in Pakistan’s Punjab province are returning to find their houses damaged

Pakistanis displaced by flooding in Punjab return to find homes and crops destroyed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday unveiled an emergency relief package, including a waiver of August electricity bills for households in flood-hit areas, as the country grapples with widespread devastation from torrential monsoon rains.&nbsp;In a televised address, Sharif acknowledged the scale of destruction, including loss of life, livestock, and property, and said the measure was aimed at easing the financial burden on affected families.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is not a favor, it&rsquo;s their right,&rdquo; Sharif said, confirming that all domestic electricity consumers in flood-affected areas will receive a one-month bill waiver.&nbsp;He added that a comprehensive assessment is underway to determine the extent of losses suffered by agricultural, commercial, and industrial electricity consumers in the impacted regions. Collection of their August bills has been suspended, and further relief may follow based on the findings.&nbsp;Sharif expressed solidarity with flood victims, especially the elderly, women, and families forced from their homes, calling the relief a &ldquo;humble effort&rdquo; by the government.&nbsp;IMF monitoring flood damageThe announcement comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also steps in to assess the impact of the flooding on Pakistan&rsquo;s economy. On Saturday, Mahir Binici, the IMF&rsquo;s Resident Representative in Pakistan, said the organization is evaluating the situation as part of its ongoing engagement with Islamabad.&nbsp;&ldquo;We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Pakistan as they endure the devastating floods,&rdquo; Binici said. &ldquo;We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life.&rdquo;&nbsp;He noted that the next review mission under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) will provide an opportunity to discuss appropriate policy responses to support the flood-affected population and protect the most vulnerable.&nbsp;In addition to the $7 billion EFF program, Pakistan has also secured approval for $1.4 billion in climate resilience funding under the IMF&rsquo;s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). However, disbursement is contingent on the successful completion of future EFF reviews.&nbsp;The IMF emphasized that both the EFF and RSF frameworks are critical tools for ensuring economic and financial stability amid natural disasters.

Pakistan announces flood relief package; IMF monitors damage as both explore policy responses to support victims and build resilience.

PM Sharif announces emergency relief package as floods batter Pakistan’s economy

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s severe monsoon floods have left more than 5.8 million people affected nationwide as swollen rivers hit Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and now risk Sindh.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) posted a statement on September 9 that heavy rains since late June have inundated wide areas of the country, forcing the evacuation of 2.4 million people.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About 94,000 displaced residents are staying in 1,630 evacuation centers. At least 922 people have died and more than 1,000 have been injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan (NDMA).<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The crisis is particularly dire in Punjab, where rivers remain dangerously high. Authorities declared an emergency in Multan on September 9 after flooding affected some 140,000 people. The Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi rivers are running at critical levels, forcing large-scale evacuations.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, flood-affected districts are battling not only rising waters but also a surge in disease.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More than 725 dengue cases have been confirmed in Charsadda, prompting the provincial government to deploy entomologists for containment efforts. Damage to health facilities has left thousands in need of medical assistance, OCHA reported.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/16a61077-03a0-44f6-b3ef-a67f2bbbaaa0-2025-09-12T155924Z_1150093001_RC26QGAOVS2T_RTRMADP_3_ASIA-WEATHER-SOUTHASIA.JPG" alt="2025-09-12T155924Z_1150093001_RC26QGAOVS2T_RTRMADP_3_ASIA-WEATHER-SOUTHASIA.JPG" style="max-width: 100%; width: 1438px;" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">SIYAL, Pakistan (Sept. 12, 2025) &mdash; A resident stands with a tub of laundry in a flooded area after monsoon rains and rising Indus River levels inundated Siyal village in Dadu district of Sindh province. (REUTERS)</figcaption></figure> Sindh is bracing for what officials warn could be a &ldquo;super flood,&rdquo; a large and highly destructive flood, typically involving water flows over 900,000 cusecs, especially in rivers like the Indus. The Indus River has overflowed its banks at Guddu and Sukkur barrages, with officials on high alert as up to 800,000 cusecs of water are expected to pass through.&nbsp; In Thatta, villagers trapped by encroaching waters have turned to boats for food and supplies after Chhachh Lake overflowed, submerging several settlements, Dawn newspaper&nbsp;reported. Local residents have appealed for urgent reinforcement of river dykes, with some accusing irrigation officials of neglect.&nbsp; In Larkana, authorities are working to reinforce sensitive river embankments like Moria Loop and Hakra Loop to prevent breaches, while Japan International Cooperation Agency experts are scheduled to review vulnerable sites, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. UN announces $5 million aid&nbsp;The United Nations&#39; Emergency Relief Coordinator announced on September 8 the release of $5 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support urgent shelter, sanitation, health, and livestock needs. Heavy rains are expected to continue in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan, raising concerns about further flooding and landslides. Urban flooding warnings remain in effect for Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, and other major cities. Officials have warned that as swollen rivers in the north flow toward the Arabian Sea, downstream provinces &mdash; especially Sindh &mdash; face increased risks in the days ahead.

Pakistan's severe monsoon floods have left more than 5.8 million people affected nationwide as swollen rivers hit Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and now risk Sindh.

Sindh on high alert as Indus nears dangerous levels

Reuters

People carrying their belongings wade through a flooded street

Asia

Flash floods and landslides in Bali killed at least 18 people and left two missing, disrupting roads and airport access. Experts blame weak urban planning, while authorities deny land conversion as a cause.

Articles tagged with "Floods"