Pakistan is reeling from one of its deadliest monsoon seasons in recent memory, with officials confirming that more than 200 people remain missing in the flood-devastated north-western Buner district. The crisis comes as torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides continue to wreak havoc across the country.
Hundreds Dead, Whole Villages Buried
According to local authorities, at least 209 people are still unaccounted for in Buner, where landslides and floods swallowed entire communities. “Ten to twelve entire villages” were partially buried, said a provincial rescue official. Rescue teams have so far buried eight unidentified bodies, as no surviving relatives could be found to claim them.
Across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, over 300 deaths have been reported in recent days. The mountainous province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst affected, with swollen rivers sweeping away roads, homes, and farmland.
In neighbouring Shangla district, Asfandyar Khattak, head of the provincial disaster management authority, confirmed that “dozens” more remain missing.
A Worsening Humanitarian Situation
Roads leading into disaster zones have been washed away, preventing families from reaching burial sites and rescue workers from delivering aid. In Buner, relatives were unable to claim the remains of loved ones due to impassable terrain.
Government meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall will continue until 21 August, with many districts now formally declared disaster zones.
Since the start of the 2025 monsoon season in June, at least 650 people have been killed nationwide. Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, saw 73% more rainfall in July compared to last year, with fatalities surpassing the total from the entire 2024 monsoon season.
Climate Change Intensifying the Rains
Monsoon rains account for three-quarters of South Asia’s annual rainfall between June and September. While flooding and landslides are common, scientists say climate change is making these disasters more frequent and more destructive.
Northern Pakistan, home to some of the region’s largest glaciers, is experiencing rapid ice melt due to rising temperatures. Glaciologists warn that melting glaciers destabilize mountain slopes, causing rocks, soil, and debris to collapse more easily during heavy rains. This, combined with monsoon downpours, exacerbates the scale of landslides and river blockages.
A Regional Crisis
The devastation is not limited to Pakistan. In Indian-administered Kashmir, at least 60 people were killed earlier this week in flash floods. In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, nine more lives were lost, while five people died in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The UN has expressed concern that the scale of displacement, infrastructure damage, and food insecurity could mirror the catastrophic floods of 2022, when a third of Pakistan was submerged.
A Nation in Mourning
In Buner district, where villages have been erased from the map, survivors are left with nothing but grief. “The mountains are falling on us,” one displaced villager told reporters. “We have no homes, no food, and no way to bury our dead.”
With more rain expected in the days ahead, the human toll is feared to rise sharply. Rescue workers face impossible challenges: collapsed roads, unstable slopes, and overflowing rivers cutting off entire communities.
For Pakistan, the 2025 monsoon season has become a grim reminder of the country’s growing vulnerability to climate change, as millions of lives hang in the balance between survival and disaster.
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