M10News International Desk |16 August 2025
Rescuers Recover 63 More Bodies in Pakistan Floods, Death Toll Rises to 220
Flash Floods and Landslides Devastate Villages
Rescuers in north-west Pakistan have recovered 63 more bodies from homes destroyed by flash floods and landslides, raising the death toll from rain-related disasters to at least 220, officials said.
One witness who survived the deluges in Buner described seeing floodwaters carrying hundreds of boulders and “tons of rocks” crash through villages.
Climate Change Linked to Above-Normal Rainfall
Pakistan has experienced above-normal rainfall, which experts link to climate change, causing floods and mudslides that have killed about 541 people since June 26, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
Emergency Response in Hardest-Hit Areas
Search for Survivors in Buner
Hundreds of rescue workers are still searching for survivors in Buner, one of the hardest-hit districts in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where torrential rain and cloudbursts triggered widespread flooding on Friday, said Mohammad Suhail, a spokesman for the emergency services. Dozens of homes were swept away.
Worst-Hit Villages: Pir Baba and Malik Pura
First responders have been recovering bodies in the worst-hit villages of Pir Baba and Malik Pura, where most deaths occurred on Friday, according to Kashif Qayyum, a deputy commissioner in Buner.
Eyewitness Accounts: “A Flood of Boulders”
A local police officer, Imtiaz Khan, who narrowly escaped the floods, said the waters carrying hundreds of boulders flattened dozens of homes within minutes.
“A stream near the Pir Baba village swelled without warning. At first, we thought it was a normal flash flood, but when tons of rocks came crashing down with the water, 60 to 70 houses were swept away in moments,” he told the Associated Press, adding that many bodies were mutilated.
“Our police station was washed away too, and if we hadn’t climbed to higher ground, we would not have survived,” Khan said.
Destruction Left Behind as Waters Recede
Rescuers described seeing large swathes of the villages destroyed, with homes wrecked and streets filled with giant rocks, as floodwaters receded.
“It was not just the floodwater, it was a flood of boulders as well, which we saw for the first time in our lives,” said Sultan Syed, 45, who suffered a broken arm.
Mohammad Khan, 53, said the floods struck so quickly that many could not escape their homes.
Medical Crisis: Most Victims Died Before Reaching Hospitals
Most victims died before reaching hospitals, according to Mohammad Tariq, a doctor at a government hospital in Buner. “Many among the dead were children and men, while women were away in the hills collecting firewood and grazing cattle,” he said.
Mass Funerals and Relief Efforts
Mourners attended mass funerals on Saturday as authorities supplied tents and food to affected residents in Buner.
The provincial disaster management authority reported that at least 351 people have died in rain-related incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan this week.
Flash Floods in Indian-Controlled Kashmir
Meanwhile, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, rescuers scoured the remote village of Chositi in the Kishtwar district on Saturday, searching for dozens of missing people after flash floods struck two days ago, killing 60 and injuring 150.
Thursday’s floods coincided with an annual Hindu pilgrimage in the area. Authorities have rescued more than 300 people, while 4,000 pilgrims were taken to safety.
Climate Change Worsens Himalayan Disasters
Cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan region and northern Pakistan, with experts attributing the heightened intensity to climate change.
Tourist Evacuations Amid Ongoing Risks
Pakistani officials said more than 3,500 tourists trapped in flood-hit areas across the country had been evacuated since Thursday, despite warnings to avoid the northern and north-western regions due to ongoing risks of landslides and flash floods.
Editing by M10News International Desk | contact: international@m10news.com
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