More than 200 individuals remain unaccounted for in Buner district due to catastrophic flooding and landslides that have claimed over 300 lives in Pakistan. Rescue operations face challenges from destruction of infrastructure, and heavy rains are expected to continue.
Catastrophic Flooding Leaves Over 200 Missing in Pakistan's Buner District
Catastrophic Flooding Leaves Over 200 Missing in Pakistan's Buner District
Monsoon flooding and landslides have resulted in significant casualties and devastation in Pakistan, with rescue efforts hampered by severe damage.
The devastating impact of monsoon flooding in north-west Pakistan has left over 200 people missing in Buner district, according to local officials. With more than 300 lives lost across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir due to the recent calamity, the situation is dire.
A spokesperson for the deputy commissioner’s office in Buner, Jehangir Khan, reported that at least 209 people are still untraceable, and the number may rise as rescue operations continue. The tragedy is compounded by reports of eight unidentified bodies being buried after no family members came forward to claim them. Khan noted that severely damaged roads have hampered relatives from locating their loved ones.
In addition to Buner, there are also "dozens" of missing persons reported in Shangla district, according to the provincial disaster management authority's head, Asfandyar Khattak. Recent monsoon rains, which occur primarily from June to September, contribute to the majority of South Asia's yearly rainfall, but climate scientists warn that climate change is intensifying these extreme weather phenomena.
Cycle of destruction: the torrential rains recently affected Indian-administered Kashmir, where flash floods led to the deaths of at least 60 individuals. This week alone, nine fatalities were reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with five more in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Local government forecasts indicate that heavy rainfall will persist until August 21 in the north-western region, which has seen several areas declared disaster zones. Since the onset of this year’s monsoon season in June, approximately 650 lives have been lost across the country.
Notably, Punjab province, home to nearly half of Pakistan's 255 million population, observed 73% more rainfall than the previous year, contributing to higher fatalities compared to the previous monsoon cycle.
Northern Pakistan, one of the region's most glaciated regions, is experiencing glacial retreat due to climate change, leading to increased risks of landslides and flooding as well. While ongoing investigations seek to identify the precise causes of the recent floods and landslides, glaciologists maintain that ice melt plays a significant role in exacerbating these natural disasters.
