A devastating flash flood caused by a cloudburst in the Khandus area of Skardu has wreaked large-scale destruction, leaving several people, including tourists, stranded. According to local sources, the flood swept away and completely destroyed 49 houses, 20 shops, and two mosques. The region’s communication infrastructure has collapsed, and a connecting bridge was washed away, cutting off ground access to the area. 

In Subdivision Daghoni, heavy rainfall caused the roof of a house to collapse, resulting in the death of a young girl who was buried under the debris. Rescue operations are underway in the affected areas; however, challenging terrain and broken communication links are hampering relief efforts.

This disaster occurred just two days after similar cloudbursts triggered floods and landslides in the Diamer district, where a doctor from Lodhran, along with his brother-in-law and father-in-law, lost their lives, while his son remains missing.Rescue teams quickly responded and successfully evacuated over 200 stranded tourists, relocating them to Chilas. In Diamer, an 8-kilometer-long connecting road was also destroyed due to landslides. 

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has released its latest report stating that the total death toll from recent rains across the country has reached 252. Among the deceased are 121 children, 85 men, and 46 women. In the past 24 hours alone, 10 more fatalities and 13 injuries have been reported. The highest number of deaths occurred in Punjab (139), followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (60), Sindh (24), and Balochistan (16).

Thousands of individuals, including international tourists, have been left stranded at various points in Gilgit-Baltistan due to road blockages caused by landslides, including on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Communication lines were also affected as fiber optic cables sustained damage in multiple areas, disrupting mobile and internet services throughout the region. 

According to Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, the KKH remains blocked at Achar Nallah in Kohistan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He stated that although traffic has resumed on parts of the KKH within Gilgit-Baltistan, repair work continues in Kohistan. Meanwhile, Babusar Pass Road is obstructed at several spots.

Mr. Faraq confirmed that all tourists stuck along the Babusar route have been safely rescued, and search operations are ongoing for any missing persons. Those evacuated from Babusar have been relocated to Chilas, where local hotel owners and government officials have provided free lodging arrangements.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)