All tourists stranded at Babusar Top rescued: GB govt

All tourists stranded at Babusar Pass were rescued and shifted to local hotels on Wednesday, while rescue operations to search for 15 missing individuals continued, according to Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan.

Babusar Pass, located in the Diamir District, is a vital route that connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Gilgit-Baltistan.

The route has recently experienced intense downpours, landslides, and flash floods due to a cloudburst on Sunday, which swept several vehicles away in the floodwater, leaving multiple individuals stranded and resulting in 15 people missing.

However, a day-long rescue operation successfully evacuated all stranded tourists.

Sokesperson for the Chief Minister of GB, Faizullah Faraq stated that all evacuated tourists were provided with temporary accommodations at local hotels at the government's expense. 

Read: Two mosques washed away in Babusar floods

Regarding the current situation of the routes, he mentioned that the Shahrah-e-Karakoram has been closed from various destinations, causing additional travellers to become stranded. However, the government is attempting to restore traffic via Shahrah-e-Resham to Basham.

On the other hand, 15 individuals who went missing due to floods and landslides in the Diamir District of Gilgit-Baltistan have not yet been found. 

The bodies of five people, including four tourists, were discovered yesterday.

The NDMA has advised tourists to avoid travelling to mountainous areas until July 25.

The Director General of the Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rain is expected in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.