The death toll from the recent flooding in a district in northwest Pakistan has risen to at least 220, according to official reports on Saturday. The overnight rescue operations resulted in the recovery of 63 more bodies from the wreckage of homes devastated by flash floods and landslides. Eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying sight of floodwaters carrying hundreds of boulders and massive amounts of rocks.
This year, Pakistan has experienced an unusually high amount of monsoon rainfall, a phenomenon experts attribute to climate change. The resulting floods and mudslides have claimed the lives of approximately 541 people since June 26, as reported by the National Disaster Management Authority.
Rescue workers continue their search for survivors in Buner, one of the many areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province severely affected by the torrential rains and cloudbursts that caused widespread flooding on Friday. The emergency services spokesperson, Mohammad Suhail, confirmed that dozens of homes were swept away by the floods.
The worst-hit villages of Pir Baba and Malik Pura have been the focus of first responders’ efforts to recover bodies. Most of the fatalities occurred in these areas, according to Kashif Qayyum, a deputy commissioner in Buner. Local police officer Imtiaz Khan, who narrowly escaped the floods, described how floodwaters carrying hundreds of boulders flattened homes within minutes.
Khan recounted the sudden swelling of a stream near Pir Baba village, initially perceived as a typical flash flood. However, the situation quickly escalated when tons of rocks came crashing down with the water, sweeping away 60 to 70 houses in an instant. Many bodies were left mutilated, and the local police station was also washed away.
As the water began to recede, rescuers reported large areas of Pir Baba village destroyed, with wrecked homes and giant rocks filling the streets. Sultan Syed, a 45-year-old survivor with a broken arm, described the event as a flood of boulders, something he had never witnessed before. Mohammad Khan, 53, said the floods came so fast that many people could not evacuate their homes in time.
Most victims died before reaching the hospital, according to Mohammad Tariq, a doctor in Buner. He noted that many of the deceased were children and men, while women were away in the hills collecting firewood and grazing cattle.
Mass funerals were held on Saturday, and authorities provided tents and food items to those affected by the floods in Buner. Local cleric Mufti Fazal, who led funeral prayers at multiple locations, described the area as once bustling with life, now filled with grief and sorrow.
The provincial disaster management authority reported that at least 351 people have died in rain-related incidents this week across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Meanwhile, nearly 300 kilometers away in Indian-controlled Kashmir, rescue operations continue in the remote village of Chositi in the district of Kishtwar, which was hit by flash floods two days ago, killing 60 and injuring around 150.
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, with climate change cited as a contributing factor. Pakistani officials reported that more than 3,500 tourists trapped in flood-hit areas across the country have been evacuated since Thursday. Despite government warnings, many travelers have ignored the risks and ventured into vulnerable regions in the north and northwest. Pakistan experienced its worst-ever monsoon season in 2022, which resulted in over 1,700 deaths and an estimated $40 billion in damage.