ISLAMABAD (BN24) — The death toll from Pakistan’s devastating monsoon floods has risen to at least 220 people after rescuers pulled dozens more bodies from homes destroyed by flash floods and landslides in the country’s northwest, officials said Saturday. Forecasters warned that more torrential rain is expected in the coming days, raising fears of further destruction.
Emergency officials said 63 additional bodies were recovered overnight in Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, one of the worst-hit areas where swollen streams and sudden cloudbursts sent massive floodwaters crashing through villages. Witnesses described a terrifying surge of boulders and mud that swept away entire neighborhoods within minutes.
Local police officer Imtiaz Khan, who narrowly escaped, said a stream near Pir Baba village swelled without warning, unleashing “tons of rocks” and flattening 60 to 70 houses. “Our police station was washed away too,” he said. “If we hadn’t climbed to higher ground, we would not have survived.”
In Pir Baba and Malik Pura, the hardest-hit villages, rescue teams continued digging through rubble and collapsed homes. Residents joined in searching for missing loved ones as funeral prayers were held across the area. “Before yesterday’s floods, the area was bustling with life,” said Mufti Fazal, a local cleric who has been leading mass funerals. “Now, there is grief and sorrow everywhere.”
Doctors in Buner reported that most victims, many of them children, died before reaching hospitals. Survivors described scenes of chaos and destruction, with giant rocks filling the streets as floodwaters receded. “It was not just floodwater, it was a flood of boulders,” said Sultan Syed, who suffered a broken arm.
Officials said Pakistan has experienced higher-than-normal monsoon rainfall this year, which experts link to climate change. Since late June, more than 541 people have died in rain-related incidents nationwide, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences to the families of the victims and pledged government support for rebuilding. The provincial chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, said efforts were underway to repair roads and restore critical infrastructure in the flood-ravaged province.
Rescue teams have also evacuated more than 3,500 stranded tourists from flood-hit areas in northern Pakistan. Despite warnings, many travelers ventured into vulnerable mountain regions. The Meteorological Department has forecast intensifying monsoon activity beginning Sunday, particularly in the north and northwest, heightening concerns of new disasters.
Pakistan, still reeling from its worst-ever monsoon season in 2022 that killed over 1,700 people and caused $40 billion in damage, once again finds itself at the mercy of extreme weather fueled by climate change.
