The Himalayas have been battered by continuous torrential rains, and many places in India and Pakistan have been severely affected. The death toll has continued to rise, and the economic losses have exceeded expectations.
The disaster was caused by abnormally strong precipitation during the monsoon season, which triggered mountain slopes, river flooding and cross-border floods, highlighting the profound impact of climate change on the South Asian hydrological system.
The northern regions of India were the first to be hit, with the administrative districts of Changi and Kashmir becoming districts of severe disaster. As of August 28, 2025, India's cumulative death toll was close to a hundred, with the single worst accident being a mountain crash that killed 33 pilgrims.
The incident occurred on the path leading to Vashno Devi Temple, where heavy rains caused the slope to collapse, blocking traffic and cutting off communications. A school in Punjab was surrounded by floods, and about 200 children were once trapped. Fortunately, they were evacuated in time.
Meteorological department records show that rainfall in Jammu reached 612 millimeters, more than seven times higher than the historical average for the same period, setting a record since 1950.
Sonam Lotus, director of the Srinagar Centre at the Indian Meteorological Department, pointed out that the increased frequency of such extreme weather is linked to global warming, with accelerated melting of mountain glaciers exacerbating flood risks.
The situation in Pakistan's Punjab province is equally severe. The floods have killed more than 800 people across the country, with half of them occurring in August.
After India opened the dam gates, the water levels of the Ravi, Chenab and Satraj rivers reached record highs, and New Delhi issued two downstream flood warnings.
Pakistan's disaster management authorities said India's discharge of water was a routine operation, but combined with local seasonal rains, resulted in large floods in eastern farmland, affecting more than 1.2 million people, and 250,000 displaced people.
Among them, 40,000 people were evacuated actively after the flood warning was issued. Parts of the Sikh Cathedral of Katapult-Sahib Temple were flooded, and rescue officials that homes in border villages were severely damaged, and agricultural crops and commercial facilities were greatly lost.
Indian Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh emphasized through social platforms that the current focus is on restoring electricity, water supply and mobile communications, and relevant departments have launched night repairs.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah coordinated officials to advance the reconstruction of telecommunications services, with the army involved in building temporary bridges and removing barriers.
In Pakistan, Lieutenant General Inam Haider, chairman of the National Disaster Management Agency, called on the military to support the rescue, and soldiers helped evacuate people and distribute supplies.
Irfan Ali Kassia, director of the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Agency, reported that the army has intervened in evacuations in the suburbs of Lahore, with floods threatening the city's normal operation as the country's second-largest city.
The disaster has exposed the fragility of infrastructure in both India and Pakistan. Although the opening of the dam relieves pressure on India's upstream, it amplifies risks downstream in Pakistan, triggering diplomatic communication.
New Delhi issued the early warning through diplomatic channels rather than the India-Pakistan Water Commission, which has interrupted regular cooperation since India suspended operations in April 2025.
Pakistani officials pointed out that India only shares limited hydrological data, affecting the accuracy of flood forecasts.The monsoon season has accelerated the melting of the glaciers in northwestern Pakistan since it began in late June, coupled with the cloud bursting phenomenon, leading to lightning floods.
Research by the World Weather Attribution Organization shows that rainfall intensity in Pakistan increased by 10% to 15% from June to July this year due to global warming, similar to the 2022 flood pattern, which killed more than 1700 people and lost tens of billions of dollars.
As of August 29, 2025, floods continued in Punjab province, Pakistan, with the military using boats and drones to search for missing people, and the river level, although partially dropped, remained above the alert line.
The death toll in Indian Kashmir rose to 41 as rescue teams dug through rubble and evacuated nearly 4,000 stranded pilgrims in Kishtwar district, while weather forecasts warned of further thunderstorms and gusty winds in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
The melting of glaciers in the Kyrgyz-Baltistan region in Pakistan has intensified and part of southern Karachi has been flooded. Lightning flooding in northern India has caused additional houses to collapse, killing four people and disappearing hundreds.
India and Pakistan need to strengthen the construction of early warning systems to avoid a recurrence of similar tragedies. Rescue operations have rescued more than 6900 people, but the death toll is still rising, and damage to farmland affects food security. Punjab, Pakistan, is the country's breadbasket. Floods have destroyed crops, indicating increased pressure on food supply in the future.
The incident was not isolated, with cloud floods in the Himalayas becoming increasingly common, and experts warned that expansion of infrastructure disrupts ecological balance.
Lightning floods in Buner district in northwestern Pakistan killed more than 300 people and rescue continues.Both countries need to review development patterns and integrate sustainable development principles.China’s experience has shown that satellite monitoring and joint research can effectively mitigate cross-border disaster impacts.
Overall, this heavy rain revealed the limitations of the ruthless response of natural forces to humanity. The losses of India and Pakistan are far beyond imagination, not only in the property of life, but also in the fields of diplomacy and ecology. China, as a regional power, calls for enhanced cooperation to jointly tackle climate change, ensure a fair distribution of water resources and avoid tragedies escalating into broader conflicts.