MUZAFFARABAD / GILGIT / BAJAUR – At least 25 people, including women and children, lost their lives on Thursday as relentless rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Villages Buried, Roads Blocked
GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed that three people, including a woman, died in Khalthi Valley, Ghizer district, after several houses were buried under landslide debris. Three others remain missing as rescue teams continue search operations despite difficult weather conditions.
In Diamer’s Bonar area, two siblings were swept away by powerful floodwaters, while a child sustained injuries in a Babusar Road landslide. Floods in Yasin Thoi damaged homes, schools, water tanks, and farmlands, while landslides blocked the Baltistan and Sadpara roads. Severe destruction was also reported from Thor in Diamer and parts of Astore Valley.
A bridge on the Karakoram Highway in Kohistan collapsed under flood pressure, cutting off GB from the rest of the country. Authorities have declared emergencies in multiple districts, placing the GB Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) and Rescue 1122 on high alert.
“This is a testing time for Gilgit-Baltistan,” said Faraq. “The government is using all available resources to support the affected communities.”
AJK: Cloudburst Kills Six, Schools Shut
In Naseerabad Tehsil of Muzaffarabad, a cloudburst claimed six lives from the same family. Torrential rains caused rivers to overflow in several districts, including Bagh, Bhimbar, Samahni, Jhelum Valley, Hattian Bala, and Neelum Valley.
In Samahni, floodwaters in the Bhimbar drain swept away a tourist vehicle, though all passengers were safely rescued.
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq chaired an emergency meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), ordering the evacuation of residents living near riverbanks and approving financial aid for rain-hit families. Emergency checkpoints have been set up to monitor water levels, while all public and private schools remain closed on August 15–16 due to safety concerns.
AJK Information Minister Mazhar Saeed reported that over 700 tourists, including 300 women and children, were stranded in Neelum Valley’s Ratti Gali after sections of the road were washed away. Free lodging has been arranged with the help of locals until conditions improve.
KP’s Bajaur: Villages Inundated
In Bajaur, at least nine people were killed and four injured in Jabrrai and Salarzai areas after flash floods and landslides tore through villages. Torrential rains caused surging water to sweep away houses, belongings, and residents.
Nationwide Monsoon Toll Climbs Over 300
The ongoing monsoon season has caused catastrophic flooding and landslides across Pakistan, with the national death toll now exceeding 300.
A day before the tragedy, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had issued a warning of intensified monsoon activity from August 14–17, forecasting widespread rain, wind, and thundershowers in Islamabad, AJK, upper Punjab, KP, and GB, with heavy downpours in scattered locations.
