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Torrential rain has triggered flooding, destroyed hundreds of houses, and killed more than 150 people in the past month.

Heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan’s Punjab province have killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 in the past 24 hours, provincial officials said, bringing the nationwide death toll from the rains to at least 159 since late June.

The downpours on Thursday caused flooding and building collapses, with most of the deaths caused by the roofs of weaker homes failing. Lahore, the eastern provincial capital, reported 15 deaths, Faisalabad nine, and the farming towns of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan several more.

Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along riversides further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon.

“Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued,” said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village.

Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai River, which runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level.

“Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations,” a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said.

The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday on Thursday to keep people at home.

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Punjab’s Chakwal district, said “heavy rains [are] causing extensive damage and also loss of life” across the Punjab region.

Rains have “swept away small dams which have burst at banks,” he said, adding that the military is using helicopters to evacuate people who are now surrounded by water.

“Pakistan has seen devastating floods over the last few years. This monsoon season is not different,” Hyder added. Experts have warned that the country can see extreme weather in the coming years, he said.

Since late June, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 in Punjab alone, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). More than 120 homes were damaged and six livestock animals killed.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) gave the toll of at least 159 deaths nationwide since June 25 and said more than 1,000 homes had been damaged.

A high flood alert was issued for the Jhelum River at the northern town of Mangla, where water inflows were expected to surge to high levels, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Authorities warned that adjoining streams could also overflow in the next 24 hours, putting nearby communities at risk.

Monsoon rains are a routine part of South Asia’s climate and are essential for crop irrigation and replenishing water supplies. However, their adverse impact has worsened in recent years due to rapid urban expansion, poor drainage systems, and more frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change.

Weather warnings come as Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing urges officials in Hebei province to up their evacuation efforts.

Northern and western China remain on high alert as torrential rain threatens to bring more flash flooding and landslides, following weather-related deaths in other parts of the country.

Red alerts were in force on Thursday as rains made their way to Gansu province in the northwest and then up to Liaoning province in the northeast.

The weather warnings came as more than 1,000 rescue workers were sent on Wednesday to Taiping, a town in the central Henan province, where five people died and three were declared missing after a river burst its banks, according to state media.

Another state media report confirmed that two people were killed by a landslide at a construction site in Gansu after heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, a record summer downpour hit the city of Xianfeng in China’s central province of Hubei, bringing more than a month’s rain in just 12 hours, with local videos showing torrents washing away cars.

On Tuesday, the authorities there evacuated 18,000 people, closed schools and suspended bus services.

During a two-day trip to the northern province of Hebei, China’s Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing urged local officials to ramp up the scale of evacuations.

Although China has a nationwide system to forecast and monitor severe weather, scientists say it is hard to make localised predictions, especially in rural communities that lack forecasting capabilities.

“Accurately forecasting the intensity and exact location of heavy rain remains challenging, especially with climate change and the complex terrain of rural areas,” Meng Gao, a climate modelling specialist at Hong Kong Baptist University, told the Reuters news agency earlier this week.

Last July, the “plum rains”, which coincide with the plum-ripening season, caused more than $10bn in economic losses in China.

Authorities say forecasters cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the devastating floods of 2022.

Nearly a week of heavy monsoon rains and flash floods across Pakistan have killed at least 46 people and injured dozens, officials say.

The government announced the death toll on Monday and said the fatalities were caused by several days of abnormally strong downpours.

They included 22 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan, 13 in the eastern province of Punjab, seven in Sindh in the south and four in Balochistan in the southwest, the National Disaster Management Authority and provincial emergency officials said.

“We are expecting above-normal rains during the monsoon season, and alerts have been issued to the concerned authorities to take precautionary measures,” Irfan Virk, a deputy director of Pakistan’s Meteorological Department, told The Associated Press news agency.

Virk said forecasters cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the devastating floods in 2022.

Severe rains then inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction.

The deaths from the past week include 13 tourists from a family of 17 who were swept away on Friday. The other four family members were rescued from the flooded Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Rescuers found 12 bodies from the family, and divers continued searching on Monday for the remaining victim, said Bilal Faizi, a provincial emergency service spokesman.

The incident drew widespread condemnation online over what many called a slow response by emergency services.

On Sunday, the National Disaster Management Authority had warned of potential hazards and advised people against crossing rivers and streams.

Flash floods and roof collapses over past 36 hours have claimed 19 lives, increasing total toll to 32, authorities say.

Heavy rain and flash flooding across Pakistan have killed 32 people since the start of the monsoon season earlier this week, according to the disaster management officials.

Flash floods and roof collapses over the past 36 hours have claimed the lives of 19 people, eight of them children, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial disaster management authority said in a statement on Saturday.

Of the total deaths, 13 were reported in the Swat Valley.

At least 13 people have been killed in the eastern province of Punjab since Wednesday, the area’s disaster management authority said.

Eight of the deaths were children, who died when walls and roofs collapsed during heavy rain.

Flash flood risk remains

Flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also damaged 56 houses, six of which were destroyed, the disaster authority said.

The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday.

Last month, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms in the South Asian nation, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million inhabitants are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

Gilan, Iran – The prospect of war seemed to creep nearer to reality with each passing day, but perhaps few of the millions who have been forced to abandon their homes across Iran in the past week – including myself – could have known this new reality would impose itself so harshly or abruptly.

The first explosions jolted people awake in Tehran shortly after 3am on June 13, when a large number of Israeli fighter jets and drones attacked dozens of areas across the country, and explosives-laden quadcopters and anti-fortification Spike guided missiles were launched by Israeli agents from inside Iran.

Entire residential buildings were levelled in the capital, military sites and air defence batteries were targeted, and above-ground facilities supporting nuclear enrichment halls buried deep inside mountains in Isfahan province’s Natanz were bombed. Dozens of civilians were killed, as were a large number of top military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Tehran was in shock the first morning after the attacks, as people struggled to process the terrifying news and evaluate their options while the authorities scrambled to mount a concerted response to the surprise hits.

As the attacks came on a Friday morning – the last day of the weekend in Iran – most city streets were eerily quiet in the immediate aftermath, except for those where Israeli bombs had made an impact.

Soon, however, hours-long queues had formed at almost every single fuel station across the sprawling capital, which has a population of nearly 10 million people and holds more than 15 million during busy workdays, as millions also commute from neighbouring cities like Karaj.

I went out to visit a few of the targeted sites in western Tehran: Multiple homes had been destroyed in the Patrice Lumumba neighbourhood, several floors of a 15-storey building providing accommodation for university professors had caved in at Saadat Abad and adjacent buildings were damaged, while the top two floors of another residential building had been completely wiped out in Marzdaran. All were successful targeted assassinations – including of several top nuclear scientists – and many civilians were also killed.

Later that night, Iran’s armed forces began launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation. Nearly one week on, at least 16 rounds of Iranian strikes have been launched, with no immediate end in sight as Tehran says it will continue to hit back so long as Israel is attacking. Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump teases triggering an all-out regional war by directly entering the war alongside Israel, which he and Washington’s Western allies already support with cutting-edge munitions, a massive fleet of refuelling planes and intelligence efforts.

For the next few days, the Israeli attacks were ringing out across Tehran and the country during the daytime, terrorising civilians who saw the smoke and heard the explosions get closer to their homes or places of work. Both at home and at Al Jazeera’s Tehran bureau, I heard many explosive impacts, with some of the closer ones only about 2km (1.2 miles) away.

Most of Tehran was shut down after the Israeli attacks ramped up, and the streets and petrol stations were more crowded than ever after Israel and Trump told people to evacuate immediately. The government said metro stations and mosques were opened as 24-hour shelters since it has built no dedicated shelters or come up with any clear security protocols, despite the ever-present threat of war.

On Monday, after three days of evaluating the situation, my family and I decided to join the countless others who had already fled Tehran.

After hurriedly packing some clothes and a few belongings in a suitcase, I drove from my own place to my girlfriend’s house to pick her up at about 4pm. Her parents, who work in healthcare, needed to stay in Tehran that day but they have since left as well, after Israeli air strikes intensified in their neighbourhood.

We then picked up my mother – along with our four cats who have been staying with her – from her home in western Tehran, close to a major road which exits the capital.

Israeli bombs were falling on multiple areas across western Tehran as we scurried to grab the cats and put them in their boxes.

The unmistakable sounds of the explosions, which leave a sickening, sinking sensation in your stomach no matter how many times you hear them, only added to the urgency – especially since the Israeli military had issued a new evacuation threat at about the same time and then bombed the state television headquarters.

Fleeing north

We left Tehran with heavy hearts, not knowing when we might return. The buildings were already mostly empty of residents.

The feeling that we may not return to the same intact neighbourhoods was unavoidable, as was the terror we feel for those who wanted to leave but could not, whether because they are nursing a sick family member or because they simply lacked the means to do so. Iran’s ailing economy has been dragged under the weight of years of local mismanagement and US sanctions.

The journey north, which usually takes about four hours, took close to 12. The highways were a sea of vehicles filled with families, pets and belongings. Roadside diners and service areas brimmed with people who had no idea when or how they might return. Many worriedly followed news of the latest air strikes.

Close to our destination in the north of Iran, checkpoints set up by armed and masked security forces made the traffic even worse. They were stopping some vehicles, mostly pick-up trucks, since those are what have been used by Israeli agents to smuggle explosive quadcopters and other weapons inside Iran.

I am writing this from a small but vibrant city in the province of Gilan in northern Iran. The northern provinces, also including Mazandaran and Golestan, are where most Iranians have opted to go. They are relatively close to Tehran, have far fewer places that could be potential targets for the Israeli army, and were already popular travel destinations with a large number of hotels that many have visited before.

Many here have opened their homes to people displaced from other provinces, too. Six million people have entered Mazandaran alone since last week, according to Iran’s deputy police chief, Qasem Rezaei.

The authorities are trying to reassure the population, especially Iranians who have fled to the northern provinces, that the government faces no problems in providing for their basic needs, especially food and fuel.

But in the meantime, 90 million Iranians have been thrown into a state of uncertainty, frustration and anger while trying to maintain hope for a semblance of normal life when the country is not constantly under threat of military action or isolated from the international community.

For ordinary civilians, the situation is seriously compounded by the fact that they have been completely cut off from the internet for days, with internet observatory NetBlocks confirming on Friday that 97 percent of the country’s connectivity was down. Barring a handful of small daily updates gleaned from state media or local sources, Iranians have little idea about the extent of the Israeli military strikes across the country.

The Iranian authorities began imposing internet restrictions from the first day of the Israeli strikes, but increased them as Israel expanded its offensive and a pro-Israeli hacking group also launched cyberattacks.

Several of the country’s top banks have been taken offline as a result of the cyberattacks, as well as Iran’s top cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, which said its “hot wallet” had been compromised but promised it would return any lost money.

Iranian officials, who also took the country offline during the deadly nationwide protests in November 2019, claimed disconnecting the internet was necessary to fend off Israeli quadcopters and other projectiles, but gave no timeline as to when they would restore full connectivity.

Iran already has one of the most closed-off and slowed-down internet connections in the world, as almost all major global messaging apps and other services, along with tens of thousands of websites, are blocked and only accessible through workarounds such as virtual private networks (VPNs).

If you are reading this now, it means I managed to find a barely functioning connection to send this out.

THE UK was battered by 50mph winds and heavy rain last night, as the country braces for wet weather.

Forecasters have warned that it will rain every day next week, in what will be a very wet start to June.

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The news comes after Britain experienced one of its driest Mays on record, with some parts of the country prepping for droughts. 

The North-West and North-East have also experienced their driest starts to the year since 1929, with Brits basking in sweltering 27C heats. 

According to Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell, though, that seasonal abnormality has come to an end.

She said: “Last night’s rain won’t have brought May much closer to average.

“That being said, we still have a week left of May and we expect to see rain every day, so by the end of the month we could be closer to the monthly average.”

Fellow meteorologist Zoe Hatton added that showers will sweep across the country from Sunday onwards.

She said: “Across the north of the countryside of Scotland is likely to be wet and quite miserable initially.

“A band of rain will be moving eastwards overnight lingering in the far north of Scotland. Elsewhere it’s not going to be widely wet.

“There’s going to be low cloud in places which could produce outbreaks of rain across the Pennines and across higher ground in the south of England, but the main focus will really be northern Scotland.

“As the day moves on that band of rain will move eastwards and we’re going to see showers arriving from the west.

“The most likely places affected will be Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north of England, and some quite frequent blustery showers across parts of the country, but drier further south.”

Heavy winds peaked at 50mph in the north of England on Saturday, while temperatures across the country will peak at a meager 15C on Sunday.

Some southern areas, including London, could experience highs of 21C, though, on Wednesday and Thursday.

However, Becky has warned that the warmer weather might not return until the school half-term.

Temperatures will begin to rise after June 2, bringing an end to what is believed will be a very wet week. 

Over the last few months, Britain has experienced a variety of rare weather conditions with meteorologists warning of a tornado on May 21.

One spokesperson said: “It’s not out of the question that we could see a funnel cloud, maybe even a brief tornado across parts of the South East.”

Tornadoes form when hot, humid air collides with cold, dry air.

The cold air heads downwards, while the hot air rises – creating a funnel, which eventually spirals into a tornado. 

Due to the UK’s landscape and normally temperate weather, tornadoes are a rarity in Britain. 

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AN AWARD-WINNING pub has been forced to close after opening its doors just two years ago. 

The luxury eatery was voted as the best pub in the Midlands and even were finalists for the best Desi grill of the year 2024.

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The Emerald in Nottingham offered a huge range of Indian dishes and had become a thriving community hub. 

The pub doubled as a sports bar, attracting both hungry diners and football fans – in what the owners have described as a “cultural space” and a “labour of love”. 

However, after being open for just two years, The Emerald has been forced to shut its doors for good. 

The eatery has battled with soaring costs, as well as crushing internal pressures. 

Announcing its closure on Facebook, The Emerald issued a lengthy and emotional post in which it thanked its loyal fan base. 

A spokesperson for the pub said: “The Emerald was always more than just a pub—it was an Indian pub, a cultural space, and a labour of love that aimed to bring something different to our community. 

“We will forever hold dear the memories, the celebrations, and the friendships that were forged within its walls.

“Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your unwavering support. It has meant everything to us.”

Fans flooded the comment section of the post, sharing their incredible stories and experiences from their trips to the pub. 

One Facebook user wrote: “Very saddened to hear this and we always loved Emerald, it was more like home for us and will be missed. 

“Thank you for all the lovely food and memories we have created at Emerald specially watching cricket and more importantly India winning the world cup. 

“All the very best team Emerald for future!!”

Another shared: “Such sad news always made me and my family very welcome thank you for what you have tried to do.”

However, in its Facebook post, The Emerald detailed internal pressures which had contributed to its closure – which is scheduled to take place on May 31. 

A spokesperson for the pub detailed how the departure of a business partner had created “emotional, financial and operational” strain which affected the “day-to-day running of the pub”. 

The spokesperson also pointed to soaring costs as a major factor behind the closure of the pub. 

They wrote: “Rising costs—including a significant increase in barrel prices, rent, and business rates—have placed a substantial financial burden on us, ultimately making the business unsustainable.

 “Although we explored the possibility of selling the business to enable someone else to carry on what we began, we were unable to move forward due to conditions and restrictions that were beyond our control.

“More broadly, the current economic climate and policy environment have created immense pressures for small businesses, making it increasingly difficult for independent establishments like ours to survive.”

Many other businesses have faced closure, just like The Emerald.

Some businesses have laid the blame at the door of Rachel Reeves – arguing that her decision to increase National Insurance contributions and minimum wage have raised the cost of running a business.

However, The Chancellor has argued that her decisions were necessary to stabilise the economy that she inherited from the Conservatives. 

In April 2025, the economy grew by 0.5% though Labour have said that they want to go even further with boosting economic growth. 

Other businesses, including the luxury restaurant La Goccia, have blamed “Covid” and “Brexit” for leading to their closure. 

The business told the Telegraph that they were unable to “recruit people with the right experience and skills” after Britain left the EU.