A rare cloudburst in the northwestern Pakistani town of Buner has triggered devastating flash floods, killing at least 337 people and displacing thousands. The monsoon rains, which have shifted 100 km west of their normal path due to global warming, caused over 150 mm of rain to fall within an hour, burying homes, trees, and rocks in the mountainside.
The death toll in Buner stands at 207, with many more missing. Local residents described the scene as chaotic, with bodies scattered on the ground and homes destroyed. Aziz Ahmed, a local schoolteacher, said that the thunder was so loud it felt like the “end of the world had come.”
Pakistan’s chief minister vowed to rebuild infrastructure and compensate victims in Buner, while officials warned that more heavy rain is expected across Pakistan until early September. The remote village of Bayshonai Kalay has been particularly hard hit, with five houses destroyed and 40 bodies found.
As the country struggles to cope with the aftermath, residents are left to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/flash-floods-devastate-buner-pakistan-after-rare-cloudburst-kills-hundreds-2025-08-17