The Department of Meteorology of Pakistan (PMD) warned Tuesday about a higher risk of flooding floods of glacial lakes (Glof) in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, since more than 200 stranded tourists were rescued from the GB district of GB while strong floods hit the region.
The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB as the floods induced by Cloudburst wreaked havoc throughout the region. The number of deaths related to floods in the region increased to five today, after four lost their lives and 15 disappeared yesterday in the Babusar area of Diamer.
On its alert, the PMD warned that prevailing climatic conditions increased the risk of GLOF, sudden floods and landslides in vulnerable glacized regions of GB and KP.
It is forecast that the wet spell would probably continue and could affect GB and KP in the current week, and added that rain and scattered storms were expected, with isolated heavy falls in both regions.
The number of deaths in GB since yesterday is currently in five, according to Diamer District Attaullah Kakar Commissioner.
GB government spokesman Faizullah Faraq said in a statement: “More than 200 rescued tourists have been transferred to Chilas and provided refuge in hotels and guest houses.”
He added that tourists could now contact their families after being stranded for hours.
DC Kakar explained that rescue operations were still underway to seek missing tourists, while four of the five deceased have been identified. According to the Senior Police Superintendent (SSP) Abdul Hameed, from 20 to 30 tourists from different parts of the country, they could miss.
According to DC Kakar, the Northern Force command (FCNA) of the Pakistan army has been providing medical assistance and food to tourists stranded in babuser through helicopters.
“One of the five bodies will be transported through helicopter later today,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Diamer administration declared an emergency state along Thack-Babusar Road, suspending all the tourist movement between Zero Point and Babusar Top.
A notification of the magistrate of the Diamer Atour Rehman district, seen by Dawn.comHe said that all travelers “should be arrested at both ends” from the road to new warning.
“All tourists and local residents are strongly recommended to evacuate to safe areas immediately and avoid any trip in Babusar Road until its complete rehabilitation,” reads the notification.
An emergency control room was also established that will work “throughout the day.” You can contact 05812-920181 and 05812-930037. The district magistrate also ordered six companies to send at least two excavators to the Babusar area to help in the rehabilitation of roads and the recovery of bodies, if applicable.
Muhammad Ali, a local social worker, said Dawn.com: “Thirty vehicles were dragged by floods, and most people have been rescued by the locals.”
Shahabuddin, resident of Chilas, said that local people provided food and accommodation to some tourists stranded in the Babusar area of Babusar in Babusar and was also helping the rescue operation.
In accordance with a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by a notification issued by the medical superintendent Dr. Abdul Mobin.
Align the damage caused by floods, the GB government spokesman said that “more than 50 houses have been damaged in the flood since yesterday.”
Faraq told him Dawn.com: “In Babusar, a wheat deposit, a school of girls, a police control point, a police refuge of tourism and four bridges have been dragged, while two mosques and a windmill have also been damaged.
“Babusar Road was still blocked due to heavy mud along the way, but the authorities have received instructions to reach the area.”
Faraq shared that construction has begun in the restoration of roads and connection roads, after floods damaged a part of the Karakoram highway (KKH), which extends to tourists.
‘Hundreds’ of stranded tourists rescued in Skardu
Skardu Rescue 1122, on his WhatsApp channel, said three people were injured due to flooding in Sadpara’s village, while the flood has also hit the Kharmang district.
Ghulam Muhammad, spokesman for the Police Department of the Baltistan Division, said in a statement: “In Deosai, 413 tourist vehicles were stranded on the road that connected to Sadpara and Deosai, after it closed at ten different points due to floods.”
According to the spokesman, the stranded people were rescued by the police and moved to Skardu in the morning after the damaged roads were restored during the night.
He said: “The heavy rains in Skardu triggered sudden floods in Barge Nullah, Dhagyol Nullah and Shagri Nullah bullet on the outskirts of the city.”
“The flood water entered houses and caused serious damage to public infrastructure and crops,” added the official.
NDMA emits earth slide alert
According to a NDMA notice, the following areas in the north of the country can face land landslides: Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Astore, Diamer, Ghanche in GB; Muzaffrabad, Neelum, Haveli, Bagh, Poonch in Azad Jammu and Kashmir; and Chitral, Dir and Kohistan in KP.
In these areas, the following paths have been identified as prone to landslides: Kohistan Road, Kolai Palas Road, Jaglot Road, Nagar Road, Hunza Road, Tatta Pani Road, Jaglot Skardu Road.
The NDMA advised citizens to avoid traveling to mountainous areas and ordered the authorities to remain alert in case of emergency.
On June 26, the GB Disaster Management Authority issued a warning of a higher risk of flooding floods of glacial lakes (GLOF) and sudden floods. The public was advised and tourists who avoid approaching rivers, streams and other river routes, and avoid bathing or washing clothes in streams, since water flow can reach dangerous levels.
In KP, the Tourism Department established a flood emergency response unit and appointed six focal people for different areas of the province.
A notification issued by the secretary of the Department Abdul Samad today, seen by Dawn.comHe said the unit was in the office of the KP Culture and Tourism Authority with the Help Line number 1422.
Two sweeps in the Rawalpindi DHA
Separately, rescue efforts were underway after a retired officer from the army and his daughter disappeared after the car in which they were swept by the drainage of rainwater in Rawalpindi, according to the police.
The retired colonel Ishaq Qazi, approximately 62-64 and resident of the Defense Housing Authority, Phase 5, “left his home along with his daughter, about 25 years old, in a gray vehicle in the city of Honda,” said a statement from the SiTala de Islamabad police station.
“Due to the strong accumulation of rainwater on a nearby road, his vehicle stagnated. While Colonel Ishaq tried to restart the car, the water flow intensified, and both individuals were dragged by the rainwater drain,” he added.
A police search operation, the 1122 rescue, Phase 5 personnel and a team of divers were underway, according to the statement. A car bumper recovered later as the search advanced.
A video showed a man who directed the vehicle in accumulated flood water, with a person in the back stirring his hand. The car took a short and sharp slide down, after which it was swept in the water, while some people gathered on a nearby bridge.
The number of deaths related to rain increases to 234
The monsoon rains, which fall throughout the region from June to September of each year, continue to open many parts of the country.
According to the NDMA website, Monsoon Rains since June 26 has killed 234 people throughout the country and wounded 596. Of these, 13 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
An agency spokeswoman said AFP That heavy rains usually begin later in the monsoon season.
“Such death tolls are usually seen in August, but this year the impact has been remarkably different,” he said.
Most of the victims were recorded in Punjab, the most populous province in the country, with 135 deaths and 470 injuries. KP reported 56 deaths, Sindh 24, Baluchistan 16, two in Kashmir Azad and a death in Islamabad.
More than 61 percent of deaths nationwide were caused by house collapse incidents. The rains of the monsoon so far have damaged 826 houses and have caused the death of 203 cattle.
PTA directs telecommunications operators to guarantee uninterrupted services
Separately, the Telecommunications Authority of Pakistan (PTA) issued a notice to telecommunications operators, ordering them to guarantee uninterrupted services and maintain contingency plans for emergencies in the middle of the floods ongoing.
A PTA press release said: “The advice emphasizes the protection of telecommunications infrastructure in high -risk areas, availability of critical resources, immediate reports of service interruptions and the dissemination of information related to floods to the public.”
“Operators have been advised to guarantee the continuity of essential services, display trained equipment, coordinate with local authorities and efficiently address consumer complaints in the affected regions.”
The PTA also activated its National Coordination Center for Emergency Telecommunications and established contact points at its headquarters and zonal offices for real -time coordination, according to the statement.
The authority said it was “monitoring the situation closely and will keep the public updated on the restoration efforts of flood affected areas.”
Additional entrance from Zahid Imdad and Umaid Ali
