Cloudburst-driven flash floods kill 300+ in North Pakistan; Buner

A rare, ultra-intense cloudburst unleashed catastrophic flash floods across northern Pakistan, killing at least 300 people since Friday and leaving scores missing as walls of water and debris tore through mountain valleys. Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was the epicenter, with more than 200 fatalities reported there alone after over 150 mm of rain fell in about an hour. Entire hamlets were swept away, homes collapsed, and roads and bridges were severed, complicating rescue efforts as heavy rains repeatedly forced operations to pause.
Authorities said the army, provincial disaster teams, and local volunteers have resumed search and relief, clearing landslides, rebuilding makeshift crossings, and airlifting supplies where roads remain cut. Emergency kits—food rations, tents, blankets, and generators are being distributed while the KP government allocates additional relief funds, including a dedicated package for Buner. Hospitals in nearby cities are treating the injured as mass burials proceed in the worst-hit communities.
The National Disaster Management Authority warned of continued downpours, landslides, and fresh flooding through at least August 22, urging residents in vulnerable valleys to move to higher ground. Since late June, monsoon-season incidents nationwide have killed well over 600 people. Officials and analysts say the event reflects a dangerous pattern of more frequent, localized cloudbursts and shifting monsoon pathways, which can turn steep catchments into deadly torrents within minutes.
Outside Buner, casualties and damage were also reported in several KP districts as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. With many still unaccounted for, authorities expect the death toll to rise in the coming days. The federal government is coordinating with provincial agencies and international partners to mobilize additional aid, while engineers race to restore electricity, water, and critical road links before the next round of storms arrives.