Just two days before his wedding, Noor Muhammad had a heartfelt conversation with his mother, mere hours before catastrophic floods in Pakistan claimed her life along with 23 other family members and relatives. “I can’t describe how happy she was,” he recounted, standing amid the remnants of his family’s large 36-room house, situated by a flood water channel in Qadir Nagar village.
This village in the mountainous Buner district has suffered the most from the recent torrential rains, accounting for over 200 of nearly 400 flood-related deaths in the northwest since August 15.
Buner is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital, Islamabad.
Stay informed with the latest updates. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“Everything was gone,” Muhammad, 25, lamented as mourners gathered at his damaged home to offer condolences. He described returning to find only rubble and heavy rocks, carried down by the floodwaters that destroyed homes, markets, and buildings.
“The flood came, a massive flood, sweeping away everything—home, mother, sister, brother, my uncle, my grandfather, and the children.”
Noor Muhammad, 25, who lost 24 family members and relatives, stands at his damaged 36-room family house devastated by floods.
Muhammad, a laborer in Malaysia, arrived at Islamabad airport on August 15, anticipating his wedding preparations, only to attend 24 funerals instead.
Among the deceased were his mother, brother, and sister. His father and another brother survived, having gone to pick him up at the airport.
Noor Muhammad sits with guests during a condolence gathering at his flood-ravaged 36-room family home.
The remaining casualties were among his uncles’ families who shared the house built by his grandfather, and other relatives attending his wedding.
His fiancée survived, as her home was outside the worst-hit area.
Devastating Flash Floods
The flash floods, triggered by this year’s severe monsoon and cloudbursts, began in the mountainous northwest and have spread across the country of 240 million, causing widespread destruction.
Officials attribute the prolonged heavy rains and rare cloudbursts to climate change, warning of possibly increased intensity in future years.
“We and our ancestors have never witnessed a storm like this,” said Muhammad Zeb, 28, a Buner resident. “It was complete chaos and a massive disaster.”
“This was a beautiful place with homes,” he added. “Now, as you can see, the flood and storm have swept everything away.”
Many remain missing, and bodies are still being recovered, officials reported.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, the total death toll from monsoon rains, which began in late June, has reached 776, with over 25,000 people rescued in the northwest.
The army and air force are actively participating in rescue and relief operations.
Officials caution that more storms are expected, with additional monsoon rain spells anticipated until September 10.
Buner experienced over 150 mm (5.91 inches) of rain within an hour due to a cloudburst, marking the most destructive event of this monsoon season.
A cloudburst is a rare occurrence involving more than 100mm (3.9 inches) of rainfall in a small area within an hour.
Only four out of 28 people in his house survived, Muhammad noted.
“What else can we say? It’s God’s will,” he said.
