Peshawar/Islamabad, Aug 15 (PTI) At least 32 people have lost their lives and many are missing following heavy rains that have battered multiple regions of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the last 24 hours, officials reported on Friday. Rescue officials indicate that torrential rains on Thursday night led to flash floods and landslides in several districts, including Lower Dir, Bajaur, and Abbottabad in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and eight injuries. In the Maidan Sori Pao area of Lower Dir, a house's roof collapsed due to the rains, killing five people and injuring four others, including women and children. Rescue workers have retrieved seven individuals from the debris, with five confirmed dead. The Panjkora River's water level has risen alarmingly due to the sustained rainfall, as stated by officials. In Bajaur district, flash floods and landslides in the Jabrari and Salarzai areas have caused significant destruction. Local sources report that nine bodies have been recovered, four individuals have been injured, and at least 17 people remain missing due to the calamity. A cloudburst in Jabrari village triggered a massive flood, causing injuries to several people. Rescue teams responded quickly, recovering five bodies and transporting the injured to a local hospital after providing initial treatment. Bajaur’s District Emergency Officer, Amjad Khan, is managing the ongoing rescue operations. Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali confirmed that nine people lost their lives in the Salarzai incident and that two critically injured individuals have been moved to Khar Hospital. In Mansehra, two fatalities and one injury occurred when a car was swept away by floodwaters at Basyan point on the Kaghan Highway, while three others were rescued. Authorities have advised tourists to avoid non-essential travel amid ongoing rain. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has instructed the use of all available resources in rescue and relief efforts. The Commissioner of Malakand and Deputy Commissioner of Bajaur have been tasked to supervise operations personally. A helicopter has been dispatched to assist in the rescue missions. The Chief Minister has issued high alerts to district administrations, notably in Dir and Swat, emphasizing the need for comprehensive precautionary measures to protect lives and property during these adverse weather conditions. In the Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, flash floods have claimed eight lives, and two others are missing, according to officials. The floods also damaged more than a dozen homes, multiple vehicles, schools, and health units, while major routes, including the Karakoram Highway and Baltistan Highway, were blocked at several points. The northeastern Neelum Valley experienced significant disruptions, with tourists moved to safety. Authorities advised over 600 tourists camping at the Ratti Gali lake base to stay in place after the link road was damaged by the floods. Floods also destroyed two connecting bridges over Lawat Nullah, and the swollen Jagran Nullah wiped out a bridge in Kundal Shahi. A picturesque riverside restaurant and at least three homes in the area were also swept away. In the Jhelum Valley, a cloudburst over Palhot caused a flash flood that damaged a portion of the road and stranded numerous vehicles. With the Neelum River's levels rapidly rising, authorities have issued a flood warning and plan to relocate vulnerable riverside families. In the Muzaffarabad district of PoK, a massive landslide struck Sarli Sacha village, burying six members of a family who are feared dead. In Sudhnoti district, a 26-year-old man was swept away by a swollen stream, and in Bagh district, a 57-year-old woman died when her home collapsed.
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