Peshawar/Buner, Aug 18: Pakistan’s devastating monsoon season has claimed at least 657 lives and left nearly 1,000 injured since late June, officials confirmed on Sunday. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said this year’s rainfall has been 50–60% heavier than last year, making it among the most destructive monsoons in recent memory.
The casualties include 171 children, 94 women and 392 men. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has suffered the most with 390 deaths, while Punjab reported 164, Sindh 28, Balochistan 20, Gilgit-Baltistan 32, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 15 and Islamabad 8. Officials also fear the toll could rise as more rain spells are expected in September.
Buner Worst Hit By Flash Floods
Buner district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has emerged as the epicentre of destruction, with over 200 deaths. Officials said at least 84 people, including 21 members of a family preparing for a wedding, were killed when cloudbursts triggered flash floods. Around 150 people remain missing in Buner and Shangla districts, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Rescue efforts were temporarily suspended on Monday after heavy rain lashed the region again, but later resumed. “Our priority is to clear roads, set up bridges and bring relief to the affected people,” regional officer Abid Wazir said. Witnesses in Bayshonai Kalay village described panic as residents rushed to higher ground when water levels swelled again.
Government Mobilises Relief Supplies
NDMA and local authorities said relief goods, including food, medicine, blankets, tents, generators and de-watering pumps, have been dispatched. Five army helicopters are assisting the provincial government, which has released PKR 1.5 billion for relief activities.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed federal ministers to supervise operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under a relief package delivering truckloads of supplies to affected districts. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed relief consignments have reached Buner, Swat and Bajaur.
Schools Destroyed, Helicopter Crash Adds To Tragedy
The education department reported that 61 government schools have been destroyed and 414 partially damaged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Adding to the tragedy, an MI-17 helicopter carrying relief supplies crashed on August 15 near Bajaur, killing all five crew members. Officials said its black box has now been recovered.
A Warning Ignored For Too Long
Pakistan’s recurring cycle of deadly monsoons underlines the urgent need for stronger disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning. While relief efforts are underway, the scale of destruction from the schools being wiped out to entire families lost in flash floods highlights how vulnerable communities remain. Without long-term investment in climate resilience, each season risks repeating this grim toll.
