Northern areas rocked by deadly flooding, cloudburst leaves 4 dead, 15 missing

At least four tourists lost their lives, two were injured, and 15 went missing after a powerful cloudburst triggered floods and landslides in Babusar and other areas located in the Diamer district at the junction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

The devastating cloudburst occurred around 3:30 pm on Monday, leading to the closure of 14 to 15 major roads due to intense landslides. Long queues of vehicles were stranded as boulders and debris blocked several routes in the region.

In response, rescue operations were launched to evacuate stranded tourists at various locations. A local college and the polcice provided their vehicles to transport the stranded tourists to safe locations. 

Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the GB government, confirmed the incident and stated that at least eight tourist vehicles were washed away by the flood in the Thak area. So far, 15 tourists remain missing, and four bodies, including that of a woman from Lodhran, Punjab, have been recovered.

Read: Cloudburst brings 425mm rainfall in Chakwal, flood emergency declared

Following the incident, Babusar Highway was closed to tourists. Additionally, Lal Pari and Tattapani along the Karakoram Highway were also shut down. Around 10 to 15 vehicles remain trapped in flood-affected and landslide-prone areas.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abdul Hameed described the situation as alarming due to the intensity of the flood, which spanned approximately seven kilometres in length.

Amid the crisis, the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan directed authorities to utilise all available resources to provide effective assistance to the victims.

Ghizer Floods

A similar disaster was reported in the Ghizer district, where flash floods caused by another cloudburst created havoc in several areas.

According to local administration officials, intense rainfall severely impacted the villages of Kanche and Salpi. More than a dozen homes, along with agricultural lands, standing crops, and essential infrastructure, were submerged.

Yasin Flash Floods

In the Upper Thui area of Yasin, a brief rain spell on Saturday night led to a flash flood that caused extensive damage to homes and a private school.

Six houses were completely destroyed, and several others, including a school run by the Aga Khan Education Service, were partially damaged. Large tracts of wheat fields, apricot and cherry orchards were also wiped out.

Affected residents have appealed to the government for urgent relief and support.

Skardu on High Alert

In Skardu, Rescue 1122 placed the Gamba station on high alert due to the rising risk of flooding in the Bargi and Sadpara nullahs.

Floodwaters damaged public and private properties, agricultural land, roads, and entered residential areas. Water supply systems for both drinking and irrigation were also disrupted.

Baltistan Commissioner Kamal Khan visited the affected areas and deployed machinery to restore water supply and road access.

Read: Cloudburst destroys homes in Muzaffarabad, woman killed

Meanwhile, authorities reported that rising water levels in the Khunjerab River had damaged a section of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) near Passu in Gojal. This threatens to isolate the upper valleys and could sever Pakistan’s only land connection to China through the Khunjerab Pass.

Khadim Hussain, Director of the Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA), stated that the region has experienced record-breaking temperatures this year.

“High temperatures and humidity have persisted for more than six weeks. These conditions are triggering frequent cloudbursts across the region,” he said.

He explained that such cloudbursts are causing severe flash floods in the mountainous terrain, with mud and rockslides intensifying destruction downstream.

Heavy Rainfall in Mansehra Region

Meanwhile, monsoon rains that began on Monday afternoon continued throughout the day across Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai-Palas.

Landslides triggered by the downpour blocked link roads in the Kaghan, Siren, and Konsh valleys of Mansehra, as well as in several areas of Torghar.

PDMA Issues Flood Alert for Punjab

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday issued a flood warning for the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, forecasting medium to high-level flooding due to heavy rainfall expected from July 21 to 23.

According to PDMA’s latest Daily Situation Report, the Indus River at Taunsa is currently at a medium flood level, with inflows recorded at 429,200 cusecs.

The PDMA directed the commissioners of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Sahiwal, and Bahawalpur, along with deputy commissioners from various districts including Jhelum, Gujrat, Lahore, and Faisalabad, to take immediate action and implement preventive measures.