Heavy Rains Halt Rescue Efforts After Deadly Floods in Northern Pakistan

TDT | Manama

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Rescue operations in northern Pakistan were paused on Monday as heavy rains hit areas already devastated by flash floods that have claimed nearly 350 lives, officials said. Around 200 people remain missing.

Since Thursday, torrential rains across the country have triggered floods, landslides, and rising waters, sweeping away entire villages and trapping residents under rubble. The hardest-hit region is northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where more than 320 people have died, according to the provincial disaster agency, which has warned of more flash floods through Thursday.

Volunteers and rescue workers have been racing against time to find survivors and recover bodies. Nisar Ahmad, a 31-year-old volunteer in Buner district, described the scene: “Twelve villages have been completely wiped out. We’ve recovered 219 bodies, but dozens more are still buried under mud and rocks. The new rains have destroyed the makeshift tracks we built to reach affected areas, halting relief operations again.”

Residents in Buner, a region with steep terrain, have sought shelter wherever they can. “Even light rain now scares us,” said local resident Ghulam Hussain. “That storm swept away so many people before. Children and women are running up the mountains to escape,” added 18-year-old Hazrat Ullah.

Volunteers also warned of urgent needs beyond rescue. “Many livestock have died, and their decomposing bodies are spreading foul odours. Right now, clean drinking water is our biggest priority. We urgently appeal to the government for help,” Ahmad said.

The floods have left the region grappling not just with immediate losses, but with the looming threat of continued rainfall and limited access to food and water.