Buner faces deadliest flooding with 78 deaths; Bajaur cloudburst claims 21 lives as rescue efforts continue in remote, devastated areas
PESHAWAR: Relentless monsoon rains, sudden cloudbursts, and destructive flash floods have caused widespread devastation across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), killing at least 146 people and injuring more than a dozen others. Entire villages have been cut off, homes destroyed, and livestock swept away as the province faces one of the deadliest weather-related disasters in recent years.
The PTI-led provincial government and Rescue 1122 teams have been deployed across multiple districts, but access to several affected areas remains blocked due to submerged roads, landslides, and collapsed bridges.
Buner Bears the Brunt
The Buner district has emerged as the epicenter of the disaster. Deputy Commissioner Kashif Qayyum reported that 78 people have lost their lives in various incidents triggered by torrential rains. Powerful floodwaters tore through low-lying areas, sweeping away homes, boundary walls, and anything in their path.
Many of the victims were trapped inside their houses when fast-moving waters entered without warning, while others were caught outside during livestock grazing or farming. Rescue teams, supported by local volunteers, have been struggling to retrieve bodies and assist survivors.
Bajaur Cloudburst Turns Deadly
In Bajaur district’s Salarzai area, a sudden cloudburst accompanied by lightning strikes unleashed chaos. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed at least 21 deaths and five injuries in the area, with several houses either partially damaged or completely destroyed.
The force of the cloudburst caused water levels to surge rapidly, overwhelming drainage channels and washing away footpaths and link roads. This has left many villages isolated, forcing locals to carry injured people for miles to reach medical assistance.
Eyewitnesses say that the intensity of the storm was unlike anything they had seen before, with deafening thunder, blinding lightning, and walls of water rushing into their settlements.
Widespread Impact Across KP
The destruction is not limited to Buner and Bajaur. In Lower Dir’s Maidan Sori Makan area, the roof of a mud-built house collapsed under heavy rain, killing four family members and injuring another four. Rescue workers pulled seven people from the rubble, with some in critical condition.
In Battagram’s Union Council Shamlai, lightning strikes and flooding destroyed between six to eight houses, sweeping away an estimated 30 to 40 people. According to Rescue 1122, ten bodies have been recovered so far, but the area’s mountainous terrain and damaged access routes have slowed further search and recovery operations.
Rescue Efforts Under Extreme Strain
Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali said that most bodies in Bajaur have been recovered, but seven people remain missing. Rescue operations are being carried out with the help of locals, who are using makeshift rafts, ropes, and even tractors to reach stranded individuals.
The PDMA and Rescue 1122 have set up emergency camps in accessible areas to provide food, blankets, and medical aid. However, in many remote villages, residents report that no official help has reached them yet, prompting urgent calls for helicopter evacuations and army assistance.
The disaster has also wiped out hundreds of livestock and destroyed standing crops, raising fears of food shortages in the coming weeks. Power outages have hit several districts after floodwaters damaged electricity poles and transformers.
Appeals for Government and International Aid
Locals in Buner, Bajaur, Battagram, and Dir have appealed to both provincial and federal governments to expedite relief efforts, especially by sending heavy machinery to clear blocked roads. They have also urged international humanitarian organizations to step in with supplies and medical teams.
Weather experts have warned that more heavy rainfall is expected in northern KP over the next few days, raising the risk of further flooding and landslides. Authorities have advised residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate to higher ground immediately.