154 dead as cloudburst, flashfloods batter Pak, major highways blocked

India Today

11 hours ago

At least 154 people were killed and several injured as heavy rains lashed several parts of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the past 24 hours, officials said on Friday.Most of the deaths occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after torrential rains triggered flash floods in various districts, while floods damaged scores of buildings and blocked major arteries, including the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).advertisementA total of 75 people died in Buner district, 17 in Mansehra and 18 each in Bajaur and Batagram districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local government officials said.'Over 125 people, including children, have died as the cloudburst followed by flash floods struck parts of the province since Thursday night,' spokesperson for Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Faizi told PTI Friday.Rescue teams and local residents have recovered the bodies, he said.Faizi, however, added that the number of deaths is expected to rise further as scores of people are still missing in affected areas.Five were killed and four were wounded in Lower Dir; four deaths were reported in Swat; while one casualty and two injuries were recorded in Shangla in the province.A search and rescue operation was underway under the supervision of Bajaur District Emergency Officer (DEO) Amjad Khan, Faizi said.In the flood-affected areas of Swat and Bajaur, the Pakistan Army's relief operations are also underway, with army teams relocating residents from inundated areas to safer locations.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Amin Ali Gandapur has instructed the deployment of all available resources for rescue and relief activities, directing the Commissioner of Malakand and the Deputy Commissioner of Bajaur to personally supervise the operations.In Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), eight people died and two others went missing as flash floods hit Ghizer district, officials said.The floods damaged more than a dozen houses, several vehicles, schools, and health units, while blocking major arteries, including the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Highway, at several points.The northeastern Neelum Valley also faced major disruptions, where tourists were shifted to safety.More than 600 tourists camping at the Ratti Gali lake base were advised to remain in place after the link road was damaged.The floods also washed away two connecting bridges over Lawat Nullah, and the swollen Jagran Nullah tore away a bridge in Kundal Shahi.A scenic riverside restaurant and at least three houses in the area were also swept away.In the Jhelum Valley, a cloudburst over Palhot unleashed a flash flood that damaged part of the road and left dozens of vehicles stranded.With the Neelum River rising rapidly, authorities issued a flood warning and plan to relocate vulnerable riverside families.In PoK's Muzaffarabad district, a massive landslide in Sarli Sacha village hit a home, leaving six members of a family buried and feared dead.In Sudhnoti district, a 26-year-old man died after being swept away by a stream, while in Bagh district, a 57-year-old woman was killed when her home collapsed.Since late June, the beginning of monsoon season, torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the country — especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern regions — deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas.According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the death toll since then till Thursday had crossed 325, including 142 children.- Ends