Devastating monsoon flooding and landslides have left more than 200 people missing in one district of northwest Pakistan, according to an official.
Over 300 people have been killed by flash floods in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in recent days; the majority of these deaths have occurred in the hilly region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
At least 209 people are still missing in the worst-hit Buner district, according to a local official who spoke to the BBC, although it is expected the figure could increase.
Eight unidentified dead have been buried by rescue crews because no family members were discovered alive to claim them, according to Jehangir Khan, spokesman for the Buner deputy commissioner office.
He stated that because of the extensive road damage, some relatives are also unable to claim their loved ones' bodies.
According to a provincial rescue spokesperson, "10 to 12 entire villages" were partially buried, as reported by news agency AFP.
The provincial disaster management authority's chairman, Asfandyar Khattak, reported that "dozens" of individuals were missing in the Shangla district.
The monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, provides around three-quarters of South Asia's yearly precipitation.
Although flash floods and landslides are widespread as a result, experts claim that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of these weather occurrences.
Days after flash floods in Indian-administered Kashmir killed at least 60 people, torrential rain has also struck the region.
Authorities said that five people died in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan area this week, and nine people perished in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
According to government forecasters, the northwest, where multiple locations have been designated disaster zones, will have significant rainfall until August 21.
Since June, Pakistan has been dealing with the destruction caused by the monsoon season this year. This year, at least 650 people have lost their lives.
Punjab, which is home to almost half of Pakistan's 255 million people, saw more fatalities in July than it did during the previous monsoon season and 73% more rainfall than the previous year.
One of the most glaciated regions in the region is northern Pakistan, however due to climate change, these glaciers are rapidly receding, making it possible for rocks, soil, and other debris to be displaced.
Monsoon rains can exacerbate landslides that occasionally obstruct rivers by further destabilizing mountain sides.
Glaciers suggest that ice melt is a contributing element in the recent floods and landslides, while the precise cause is still unknown.
