
More than 200 people remain missing in the Buner region of northwestern Pakistan as a result of devastating floods and landslides.
More than 300 people have died in floods in Pakistan and administered Kashmir in recent days, with the highest toll in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise further. Search and rescue teams said they had buried eight unidentified bodies because no family members were found alive.
Torrential rains between June and September bring about three-quarters of the annual rainfall in South Asia. This year alone, more than 650 people have died in Pakistan as a result of these weather conditions.
Although landslides and floods are common consequences of heavy rains, scientists believe that climate change is making these weather events more intense and frequent.
Casualties from the rains have also been reported in Indian-administered Kashmir. In addition to human casualties, the torrential rains exacerbate landslides and sometimes result in the blockage of river flows.
While the exact cause of the recent floods and landslides has yet to be determined, scientists believe that melting glaciers are a contributing factor. /REL/