Muzaffarabad/Gilgit:
Torrential rain and flash floods have caused widespread destruction over Azad Kashmir, Kaghan Valley and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), leaving at least 10 people dead-inclusive women and hundreds stranded.
According to Express News, a cloudburst in a suburban area in Muzaffarabad killed five members of the same family.
In Neelum Valley, about 50 tourists caught in Ratti Gali Nullah were rescued, but about 500 others remain stranded in the base camp, where several bridges have been swept away and weighing blocked.
In GB’s Ghizer district, floods in Khalti swept five people. The bodies of a woman and a child were regained while the search for three others continues. Six houses were completely destroyed, while flash floods in Chitorkhand and Daine Nullah blocked the Ishkommun River, which got the evacuation of residents from low-lying areas due to fear of a violation.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) reported that a woman was killed after being hit by a cliff in Dana Daliyaar, UC Machhiara, while another woman died and a person was injured after being swept away in Pulandri Rerria.
In Jhelum Valley, three stores and a watermill were destroyed by flooding in fool Dajian Nullah, while three people caught during flooding in Chhattar Nullah, Poonch, were rescued.
In Bagh district, about 400 tourists were stranded after their vehicle was caught in flooding water rescued. Landslides have blocked Muzaffarabad-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Link Road by Lohar Gali and Bani Hafiz-Hatian Bala Road in Jhelum Valley. Access to Leepa Valley has been cut off at Dudupura and Hajira-abbaspur Road in Poonch has been blocked on Berri.
Floods have also flushed two pedestrian bridges away in Nullah Lawat, while heavy rain in Nathiagali led to three girls drowning in Gilyat Tajwal; Two were rescued, but one died after drowning in water.
PMD warning
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a warning of accelerated snow and glacier melt in Gilgit-Baltistan as temperatures in the region remain 7-9 degrees Celsius above normal.
The unusual heat is significantly intensified by snow and ice melting, which increases the risk of flooding of the fireplace in glitter.
According to PMD’s flood forecasting department, both maximum and minimal temperatures are persistently higher than average, leading to massive snowmelt and increased water flow for reservoirs.
The data shows that up to the first 10 days of August, inflow in the Tarbela Reservoir during the current Kharif season, has reached 41.8 million Acre feet (MAF), which is 5.64 MAF over the normal seasonal influx of 36.16 MAF.
The department warned that the rapid melting of snow could lead to formation and expansion of glacies, which constitute a severe flood threat against downstream areas. Officials called on relevant authorities and communities to remain vigilant, especially in vulnerable valleys, to mitigate potential disaster actions.
Monsoon Rains, which falls over the region from June to September each year, continues to tilt many parts of the country. From the end of June, monsoon rains have created destruction across the country for the past month by triggering deadly floods, landslides and shifts, especially in vulnerable, poorly drained or densely populated areas.
The heavy rain led to blocking Karakoram Highway (KKH) at several points in Abbottabad City, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
According to local authorities, all major nullahs and canyons swelled in the district, including the river door, in addition to their banks and created dangerous conditions for nearby residents and motorists.
The sudden wave of water from the upper drainage areas flooded low -lying sites and washed waste on KKH, making several stretches unacceptable. Rescue and relief teams together with the traffic police were deployed to clear the road and help stranded passengers.
