Over 150 still missing after deadly flash floods in Northwestern Pakistan
Local residents have criticised authorities for failing to issue timely evacuation alerts, claiming no warnings were broadcast through mosque loudspeakers
Rescue teams continue to search for more than 150 people still missing in northwestern Pakistan following devastating flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in the mountainous Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Emergency services spokesman Mohammad Suhail said search operations have been extended to hard-to-reach areas as many residents were swept away by the sudden deluge on Friday (15 August).
The military has deployed engineers and heavy machinery to aid in clearing debris. The official death toll in Buner climbed to 277 today (18 August) after three more bodies were recovered.
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Local residents have criticised authorities for failing to issue timely evacuation alerts, claiming no warnings were broadcast through mosque loudspeakers — a traditional emergency alert system in rural regions.
However, government officials said that despite having an early warning system, the intensity of the rainfall and speed of the flooding left little time to inform residents.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur yesterday blamed unsafe construction near waterways for many of the deaths. He said the government would help relocate affected families to safer areas and support them in rebuilding.
Pakistan has experienced unusually heavy monsoon rains since 26 June, with more than 645 fatalities nationwide — including over 400 in the northwest alone.
The National Disaster Management Authority has issued further warnings as new rainfall continues across various regions of the country.
The UN's humanitarian agency said it has mobilized response teams in flood-hit areas, where damaged roads and broken communication lines have isolated many communities. Relief organisations are providing essential supplies and preparing for long-term recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, in India-administered Kashmir, at least 67 people have died and many more remain missing after flash floods struck during an annual Hindu pilgrimage.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences over the loss of life in both countries.
Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters. In 2022, extreme flooding — attributed to climate change — killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
