Monsoon floods kill hundreds in Pakistan, many still trapped

RESCUE operations are ongoing in northwest Pakistan, where more than 150 people remain missing after days of heavy monsoon rains caused deadly flash floods and landslides.

The disaster has left at least 344 people dead in the region, with the national death toll surpassing 650 since the monsoon season began in late June.

The worst-hit area is Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where at least 209 people have died and "10 to 12 entire villages" were partially buried under mud, rocks, and floodwater.

Asfandyar Khattak, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said that over 150 people are still missing in Buner alone. “They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes or swept away by floodwaters,” he said.

Dozens more are missing in neighbouring Shangla district, with ongoing rains making rescue operations extremely difficult. “There is no electricity or mobile signal in Buner, as power lines and mobile towers were damaged in the flash floods,” Khattak added.

Around 2,000 rescue workers, including doctors, paramedics, police, and Civil Defence volunteers, are engaged in search and relief operations across nine districts. The Pakistan Army's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams have also been deployed in Buner, Shangla, and Swat, using advanced equipment to locate injured people and recover bodies from the debris.

Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for the provincial rescue agency, said the terrain and conditions were proving extremely challenging. “Heavy rainfall, landslides, and washed-out roads are severely hampering rescue efforts, particularly the transportation of heavy machinery and ambulances,” he said. “In some areas, workers are forced to walk long distances to reach disaster sites.”

According to officials, the situation remains dire, with many villagers continuing to dig through rubble by hand in search of missing family members. “I helped retrieve the bodies of children I taught,” said Saifullah Khan, a schoolteacher in Buner. “The trauma is unbearable.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur visited the flood-hit areas on Saturday (16). He was told that seven village councils in Buner were hit by cloudbursts, damaging more than 5,300 homes. “No effort will be spared in the rehabilitation of flood victims,” he said, announcing that the provincial government had released financial aid for immediate relief and recovery.

So far, over 3,500 stranded people have been safely evacuated, but hundreds remain unaccounted for. Six districts — Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram — have now been declared disaster-hit by the provincial government.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of more torrential rains across the country between August 17 and 21 and advised people in vulnerable areas to take precautionary measures.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also warned that the monsoon rains — which began earlier than usual this year — are expected to continue with greater intensity over the next two weeks.

So far this monsoon season, more than 650 people have died and 905 have been injured across Pakistan. Floodwaters have destroyed homes, livestock, roads, and vehicles, with many remote areas still cut off from emergency assistance.

(Agencies)