Rains, flash floods kill 21 in Pakistan; tourists rescued in hilly north

Al Jazeera

3 days ago

Islamabad, Pakistan – Flash floods and landslides have killed at least 21 people in 24 hours across Pakistan, taking the total death toll in this year's monsoon to 242.
At least three people died in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday when a cloudburst caused floods and landslides, stranding more than 200 tourists who were later rescued, officials said.
'So far, we have rescued between 200 and 250 people in various areas who arrived for tourism purposes. All of them are Pakistani nationals. Meanwhile, between 15 to 20 people are still missing, and search efforts are ongoing,' Farmanullah Khan, a government official in Gilgit-Baltistan, told Al Jazeera.
Officials said the rescued tourists were moved to the city of Chilas, where they were provided shelter in hotels and guesthouses.
'Rescue operations are actively under way to locate missing tourists with military personnel participating in the efforts. Helicopters will be deployed for rescue if necessary,' Faizullah Faraq, spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government, said in a statement.
On Monday, at least four other tourists were killed and 15 went missing due to the floods in the region's Diamer district.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday said at least 10 people died in neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including six children.
The NDMA said most of the deaths were caused by house collapses as above-average rains pounded the South Asia nation, still recovering from the floods of 2022, which killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced more than 30 million.
An NDMA official told Al Jazeera the rains this year have been more intense compared with last year.
'This is the fourth spell during this monsoon and is expected to go on till July 25,' he said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
On Tuesday, the NDMA issued a landslide alert for several northern areas, including parts of both Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast widespread rain, winds and thundershowers for Tuesday across northern Pakistan and parts of Punjab province.
Pakistan, which has a population of about 250 million, is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change. It is also home to more than 7,000 glaciers – the largest outside the Earth's polar regions.
On June 26, Gilgit-Baltistan's Disaster Management Authority warned of an increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods and flash floods and asked people to avoid approaching rivers, streams and other waterways.
Zakir Hussein, director general of the authority, said that while warnings help reduce the presence of tourists, they are not always enough.
'Generally, tourists pay attention to our warning notices. Those who still choose to come are either those who did not see the warning or those who have some urgency to visit,' Hussein told Al Jazeera. 'At the end of the day, it is weather prediction, but considering the severity of the consequences, people should take it seriously.'
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, two people riding in a car were swept into a storm drain at a residential complex. A video circulating on social media showed the vehicle being carried away by floodwaters into the drain.
Rescue officials have launched a search for the missing passengers.
Abdul Moiz, a local pharmacy owner, said only a few shops were open in the area on Tuesday due to the relentless rain.
'It is a strong storm and does not look like stopping anytime soon. I live in the same society, and while it could have been easy to stay indoors, I thought this is a time when people might need medicines, so I am here at my shop,' he told Al Jazeera via telephone.