At least three people have died and more than 15 are missing due to powerful landslides and floods caused by monsoon rains in Diamer district, northern Pakistan. The disaster destroyed dozens of homes and infrastructure facilities and blocked key highways, UNN reports, citing Aljazeera.
On Monday, more than eight vehicles were submerged due to heavy rains that caused a landslide on a highway in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan. Three bodies have been recovered, and more than 15 are still considered missing.
According to local officials, "rescue operations are ongoing to find the 15 missing persons."
"The rescue operation resumed today at 6:00 AM (01:00 GMT)," Hamid added.
"Rescuers also evacuated four injured people, one of whom is in critical condition," said Faizullah Farak, a provincial government spokesman, confirming to AFP the information about three deaths.
"Hundreds of stranded tourists have since been brought to safety, with government teams clearing debris and escorting them from the mountain road, and locals providing emergency shelter and assistance," Farak added.
Floods caused widespread destruction
The heavy rains in the region on Monday destroyed about 50 houses, four bridges, a hotel, and a school. Major transportation arteries were also affected, and communication facilities suffered significant damage.
A spokeswoman for the agency told AFP that the highest number of deaths from heavy rains usually occurs in August.
"Such death tolls are usually observed in August, but this year the consequences were strikingly different," she said.
The country's National Meteorological Service warns of a high risk of new heavy rains and flash floods in the northern and eastern provinces, as well as the possibility of landslides.
Although rains are a common part of South Asia's climate, important for irrigation and water supply, their destructive power is increasing due to rapid urbanization, poor drainage infrastructure, and more frequent climate anomalies.
Pakistan is still recovering from the catastrophic floods of 2022, which affected a third of the country and over 33 million of its inhabitants. About 1,700 people died then, and a significant portion of the harvest was destroyed.
Since the end of June, over 200 people have died in the country due to floods.
Natural disasters caused by monsoon rains have also affected other regions of Pakistan. Since June 26, at least 221 people have died across the country.
As reported by the National Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday, among the dead are "104 children and 40 women," and more than 500 people were injured.
Mid-June proved particularly tragic for Punjab province, bordering India: there, at least 65 people died in a single day due to heavy rains, and about 300 more were injured.
At the end of the month, in another northern province, 13 tourists became victims of a flash flood when they tried to escape by climbing onto the riverbank.
Among the dead are also travelers from other parts of the country who were visiting Gilgit-Baltistan - a resort region in Pakistani Kashmir, known for its mountainous landscapes, fertile valleys, and clear lakes.
Flood in Nepal has already claimed 9 lives, over 20 missing10.07.25, 10:12 • [views_1975]