Islamabad, Pakistan – In Pakistan, at least 21 people have died in total as a result of a flash flood and landslide in 24 hours, bringing the total death toll for this year’s monsoon to 242.
More than 200 tourists were stranded on Tuesday in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan after a cloudburst caused floods and landslides, which were later recovered, according to officials.
“We have rescued between 200 and 250 people from various locations who had arrived for tourism purposes. They are all citizens of Pakistan. According to Farmanullah Khan, a government official in Gilgit-Baltistan, between 15 and 20 people are still missing, and searches are still under way.
The tourists who had been found in hotels and guesthouses in Chilas were relocated there, according to officials.
“Military personnel are actively assisting in the search for missing tourists,” according to the statement. According to Faizullah Faraq, a Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson, helicopters will be deployed for rescue if necessary.
Due to the flooding in the Diamer district of the area on Monday, at least four other tourists were killed and 15 others were missing.
At least 10 people died in the neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), including six children, on Tuesday.
The South Asian nation, which is still recovering from the devastating floods of 2022, which claimed nearly 1,700 lives and displaced more than 30 million, was blamed for the majority of the deaths on house collapses, according to the NDMA.
According to an NDMA official, the rains this year have been more intense than they have been last year.
Because he was not authorized to speak to the media, he said, “This is the fourth spell this monsoon and is expected to continue until July 25.”
The NDMA issued a landslide alert for several northern regions on Tuesday, including parts of both Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast thundershowers, winds, and heavy rain for parts of Punjab province and northern Pakistan on Tuesday.
One of the most vulnerable nations in the world is Pakistan, which has a population of about 250 million. The largest glaciers outside the Earth’s polar regions are also found there, at more than 7, 000.
The Disaster Management Authority for Gilgit-Baltistan issued a warning on June 26 about the increased risk of flash floods and glacial lake outbursts and advised people to avoid approaching rivers, streams, and other waterways.
Director general of the authority Zakir Hussein said that warnings are not always sufficient, despite their effectiveness.
Tourists generally notice our warning signs. According to Hussein, those who still decide to travel are those who did not see the warning or those who feel the need to travel. In the end, it is weather prediction, but people should take it seriously given the consequences’ severity.
Two people riding in a car were swept into a storm drain at a residential complex in Islamabad, just outside the capital. The vehicle was reportedly being swept into the drain by floodwaters in a video that was popular on social media.
Search efforts have been launched for the missing passengers by rescue personnel.
Due to the persistent rain, local pharmacy owner Abdul Moiz claimed only a few shops were open in the area on Tuesday.
Source: Aljazeera
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