Key points
- Flash floods have killed over 340 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Thousands of rescuers are battling rain and knee-deep mud
- National Disaster Management Authority urges citizens to follow safety guidelines
ISLAMABAD: Over 150 people are missing in northwest Pakistan, the head of the provincial disaster authority said Sunday, after flash floods that have killed at least 344 people in the country.
“In Buner, at least 150 people are still missing. They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes or swept away by floodwaters,” AFP cited Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority, as saying.
Separately, in Shangla district, dozens of people are also reported missing,” he said.
Thousands of rescuers were battling rain and knee-deep mud, digging homes out from under massive boulders in a desperate search for survivors.
Partially buried
AFP cited a provincial rescue spokesman as saying, “In the hardest-hit Buner district, at least 208 people were killed and”, 10 to 12 entire villages partially buried”.
وزیراعظم کی ہدایت پر این ڈی ایم اے نے مون سون کی شدت کے باعث پہاڑی علاقوں میں سیاحت محدود کرنے کی ایڈوائزری جاری کر دی۔ خطرے سے دوچار سیاحتی علاقوں میں قانون نافذ کرنے والے ادارے پابندیوں پر عملدرآمد یقینی بنائیں۔
عوام سے گزارش ہے کہ متاثرہ علاقوں کا سفر کرنے سے گریز کریں۔ pic.twitter.com/FxoC0JT5KP
— NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) August 16, 2025
Pakistan state-run news agency APP cited the country’s National Disaster Management Authority Tech Team Lead and Spokesperson Dr Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah as warning that heavy monsoon rains are expected to persist until August 22, adding, the ongoing downpour has already caused widespread flooding, severely affecting many parts of the country.
Safety guidelines
This year’s monsoon season ranks among the most destructive in recent memory. From early summer onward, relentless and heavy rains have severely impacted regions including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Punjab, and Azad Kashmir, he described.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) alone, devastating floods triggered by cloudbursts and flash floods have resulted in over 340 fatalities, widespread destruction of homes and roads and ongoing large-scale rescue efforts, he mentioned.
The spokesperson emphasised the seriousness of the situation, urging citizens to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines as rescue and relief operations continue.
