PESHAWAR: Two boys drowned in the Indus River in the Torghar district and Jabba nullah of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mansehra, while the Karakoram Highway was blocked due to heavy landsliding in the Gligit-Baltistan’s Gonar farm and Mola Dad Pari area on Tuesday.
Due to a significant rise in temperature, accelerating snow and glacier melt have triggered flash floods and landslides in various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Amid heavy monsoon rains, the National Emergencies Operation Centre on Monday issued an alert for heavy rainfall and a flood-like situation in various parts of the country over the next two days, while 19 people lost their lives in Balochistan, KP and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi due to the extreme weather.
Mansehra Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Amir Khadam told Dawn.com, “An eight-year-old boy, Ibrahim, drowned in the Jabba nullah due to a sudden surge in the water flow in a dried stream.”
He said the search for the drowned boy continued, and Rescue 1122 teams were making efforts for it.
Torghar Rescue 1122 spokesperson Atiqullah Afridi said, “A young man, Mohammad Zamin, drowned in the River Indus due to an increase in the water flow of the river.”
He said the rescue divers were in the field and struggling to retrieve the body of the man.
Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) Assistant Director Imtiaz Ali said that floods hit multiple areas in the Diamer region and heavy flooding was reported in Ghushay nullah, Batogah nullah, and Khinar nallah, which washed away water supply schemes and other infrastructure. However, he added that the damage from the floods was being assessed.
He continued that the Karakoram Highway was blocked at five different locations after flash floods brought massive debris and mud between Gilgit and Chilas of GB, suspending the traffic on both sides of the crucial route.
The GBDMA official said that the heavy machinery was being engaged in the road clearance work, and work was underway.
He added that no human loss was reported from anywhere in the area due to flooding.
Zubair Ahmad Khan, GBDMA assistant director for Hunza in Nagar region, said that it was reported that the main road leading to Hopper valley had been blocked at Supultar Nullah due to a heavy flood, accompanied by mudflow and large boulders.
“The flood occurred intermittently throughout the afternoon,” he said, adding, “The debris flow had now nearly stopped; however, the water level is still high, making it impossible to commence road clearance operations at this stage.”
He further said that the tehsildar, naib tehsildar, and Communication and Works (C&W) Department sub-engineer are present on-site, and the GBDMA excavator is available at the location.
“Restoration and clearance work will start tomorrow morning, subject to further improvement in water conditions,” he added.
GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan ordered relevant departments to remain alert in view of flood situation, according to a statement by his office.
“Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has ordered all relevant departments including the GBDMA and district administrations to remain alert in view of the flood situation in different areas due to melting of glaciers and rise in river levels due to increase in heat intensity,” the statement read.
Deputy commissioners and relevant officers should take timely steps to prevent losses due to floods, Khan said, adding that departments should utilise all resources to initiate the timely rescue and rehabilitation process in any emergency situation.
On Sunday, six people were killed while one person was injured amid flash floods and heavy rain across Punjab and KP, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) in both the provinces.
More than 22 people were killed and 11 others were injured in KP in accidents related to rain, strong winds, flash floods and landslides since June 25, according to PDMA reports. Heavy rainfall and flash floods have wreaked havoc in the province, while 18 people were swept away along the Swat River due to a sudden surge in the gushing water.
