Across Pakistan, about 800 people have died, more than a quarter of them children
ISLAMABAD, 2 September 2025 – Almost one million people, including children, have been evacuated from their homes in Punjab[1], Pakistan’s most populous province, amid deadly floods, with almost all school aged children in the province facing disruptions to education, Save the Children said.
Punjab in the country’s east is dealing with the biggest flood in its history, according to government officials, as heavy rains continue in many parts of the country, overwhelming major rivers.[2] According to Pakistan’s meteorological department, the province saw 74 % more rainfall than the monthly average in August.
Across Pakistan, about 800 people have died, more than a quarter of them children.[3]
About 25 million children in Punjab are out of school or face disruptions to their education, or about 96 %* of school-aged children in the province, three weeks after the summer school break was supposed to end.
In Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, about 860 schools have been damaged by floods or are not accessible - putting education on hold for more than 119,000 children.[4]
Iqbal*, age 9, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is learning in a temporary school supported by Save the Children:
“In this tent school and safe space, we found so many things to learn and play and very kind teachers to make us smile. It is a very good place to come and forget our grief and pain.”
Globally, the increase in river floods is attributed to a combination of factors exacerbated by the climate crisis, including more intense rainfall, rising sea levels, the increased likelihood of climate extremes and unplanned urbanisation.
The consequences of such flooding are profound and can cause significant loss including damage to critical infrastructure such as water and power supplies and to hospitals and schools.
Save the Children’s Born into the Climate Crisis 2 report shows that children born today will face unprecedented climate extremes unless global warming is limited to 1.5°C.
Khuram Gondal, Country Director, Save the Children in Pakistan, said:
“These floods have washed away life for children in Pakistan as they know it. The disruptions have been massive. Children had to leave their homes, their schools have been damaged and some have even been separated from their families because of widespread flooding and evacuations.
Imagine being a child in a flooded village in Pakistan today. You’ve done nothing to trigger this extreme weather event yet you have to live with the consequences of our global climate crisis.
Children’s immediate needs are food, clean water and shelter. They will also need to learn without further disruptions.
This is far from over. Parents and teachers are traumatised. Our temporary learning centres and child friendly spaces will not only provide places to learn but also give children and their families essential psychological support.”
Save the Children is providing temporary learning spaces for children who cannot return to their classrooms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure they do not miss out on education.
In some of the worst affected districts including Buner and Shangla the child-rights organisation is also providing health services including support for traumatized children.
The charity has so far distributed hygiene kits and household kits, including mosquito nets and blankets to 600 households in Buner, Shangla and Swat.
Save the Children is also helping schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to create safe spaces where children can recover from the floods and is helping to identify children who are unaccompanied or who may have been separated from their parents or guardians.
Save the Children has been working in Pakistan since 1979 and was the first international NGO to respond to the 2022 floods emergency, reaching more than 1.1 million people in flood-affected areas, including about 600,000 children. Save the Children co-leads the Education in Emergencies (EiE) Working Group in Pakistan.
Notes to editors
[1] Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority Sit Rep
[2] National Weather Forecasting Centre Islamabad: https://nwfc.pmd.gov.pk/new/rainfall.php
[3] Pakistan Education in Emergencies (EiE) Working Group
[4] Pakistan Education in Emergencies (EiE) Working Group
* According to the World Bank there are about 26 million school aged children in Punjab. About 25 million are currently out of school or doing alternative or hybrid learning because of the floods, or 96 % of school aged children. School age children in Punjab source: https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/endpovertyinsouthasia/bringing-13-million-more-children-school-lessons-punjab
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