At least three killed in landslide, heavy rains in northern Pakistan

At least three people have died in a landslide in northern Pakistan as a result of the ongoing rescue of 15 missing people, according to local officials.

According to Abdul Hameed, the district police officer for Diamer, more than eight vehicles were swept away on Monday when heavy rains caused a landslide on a highway in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district on Tuesday. More than 15 people are still missing, according to the report.

Since the country’s monsoon season started in late June, with heavier rains than usual, 221 people have died as a result of flash floods, collapsed buildings, and electrocutions.

Several of the victims were visitors from other parts of Pakistan who were visiting Gilgit-Baltistan, a province in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a popular tourist destination known for its lush valleys and crystal-clear lakes.

According to Hameed, the debris covered at least 10 vehicles. He continued, “The rescue operation has been launched once more at [01:00 GMT] at 6:00 AM.”

According to Faizullah Faraq, spokesman for the provincial government, “Rescuers also evacuated four injured people, one of whom is in critical condition.”

Local villagers offered emergency shelter and assistance, while government teams removed debris and escorted hundreds of trapped tourists to safety, according to Faraq.

50 homes, four bridges, a hotel, a school, major highways, and communication signals were affected by the flooding in the area on Monday, as well as blocking major thoroughfares and causing damage to communication signals.

In Pakistan, there are other locations.

Since June 26, 221 people have died nationwide as a result of events relating to the monsoon.

According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, “104 children and 40 women die,” and more than 500 others are injured, according to Tuesday’s death toll.

The agency’s official statement to AFP stated that heavy rains typically begin after the monsoon season. Although this year’s death tolls are typically in August, she said, “the impact has been markedly different.”

The risk of flooding and landslides is still high in the country’s northern and eastern provinces, according to the national meteorological service.

In the course of 24 hours of monsoon rains hitting Punjab province, which borders India, at least 65 people were killed and nearly 300 were hurt in the middle of June.

At least 13 tourists were killed in a northern Pakistan province where they were sheltered from flash floods in late June.

The climate in South Asia frequently experiences rains, which are crucial for irrigation and replenishment of water supplies.

However, their negative effects have gotten worse in recent years as a result of rapid urban expansion, subpar drainage systems, and more frequent extreme weather events.