ISLAMABAD: As many as 13 people were killed as rains, thunderstorms and flash floods battered parts of the country, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday.
With 234 lives already lost to monsoon rains across Pakistan, authorities have warned of an even deadlier threat looming in the country’s glaciated north in the form of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), flash floods and landslides.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday issued a fresh Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) alert for Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, citing a heightened risk of flash floods and landslides triggered by persistent rainfall and accelerated glacial melt. The warning, issued by the PMD’s Research and Development Division, says heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected to continue through the week in northern mountain ranges, increasing likelihood of GLOF events in vulnerable valleys.
“All concerned are advised to remain alert and take necessary measures to avoid any untoward situation”, the PMD stated, calling on disaster management authorities to activate emergency response plans in at-risk districts. Torrential rains have displaced dozens of families, destroyed hundreds of homes and cut off entire communities across multiple provinces. Punjab remains worst affected, with 135 reported fatalities and more than 470 injuries. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 46 deaths, followed by Sindh with 22 and Balochistan with 16. Isolated casualties have also been reported in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad. Over 800 houses have been partially damaged or completely destroyed.
Experts have drawn parallels with Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 flood, warning that the country may be on the verge of another large-scale climate disaster.
The Meteorological Department has urged Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority and KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority to activate early warning systems, prepare evacuation plans and alert vulnerable communities. Locals have been advised to avoid travel near riverbanks, stay away from unstable slopes and report any unusual sounds or movement near glacial streams. Rescue 1122 and emergency teams have been placed on high alert in northern districts, while the NDMA has begun dispatching relief supplies and contingency stocks to affected regions. However, damaged roads and blocked access routes are hampering relief efforts, particularly in remote mountain areas.
In response to the flood alert, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an official communiqué to the deputy commissioners of Chitral (Upper & Lower), Upper Dir, Swat, and Upper Kohistan – the areas identified as highly vulnerable to GLOF events. The PDMA directed district administrations to undertake proactive monitoring and surveillance of vulnerable GLOF sites to ensure timely early warning and effective response; launch mass awareness campaigns for the general public residing in at-risk areas, focusing on education about GLOF hazards and emergency preparedness.
Seven people, including five children, were killed in rain-related incidents in the Swat and Bajaur districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said on Tuesday. In the Gujjar Band Shanko area of Madyan in Swat district, a house roof collapsed due to continuous rainfall.
In another incident in the tourist area of Malam Jabba in Swat, two children were swept away by a flash flood in a seasonal stream at Sore Dherai Ganajir. After an extensive joint search operation by a rescue team and residents, the bodies of 7-year-old Afwan and 10-month-old Mohsin were recovered.
In Bajaur district, two brothers lost their lives after being swept away by a flash flood. Their bodies were recovered by local officials. According to sources, the incident took place in the Laghman Shah area of Loi Mamund Tehsil.
A major rescue operation is underway across Gilgit-Baltistan after flash floods wreaked havoc in several districts, killing at least three tourists and leaving 15 others missing, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government Faizullah Faraq said that nearly 250 stranded tourists and commuters were successfully rescued from the Babusar Road region.
Eyewitnesses reported that up to 15 individuals remained missing. “Search operations are in full swing, and efforts will continue until every missing person is accounted for,” Faraq stated. However, he acknowledged that the operation faced challenges during the night due to poor visibility and damaged terrain. The provincial government, in coordination with a local hotel association in Chilas, has arranged free accommodation for rescued tourists.
Authorities confirmed that all tourists seen in footage from vehicles with visible number plates are safe. Emergency has been declared in Diamer district in view of the ongoing weather crisis. Deputy Commissioner Diamer, Captain (R) Ataur Rehman Kakar, directed all relevant departments to stay alert and prepare for further emergencies.
Water flows in rivers is increasing due to monsoon rains and glacier melting. There is low-level flooding in the Indus River at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa. Water flows in Ravi, Jhelum and Sutlej Rivers are normal.
A retired army officer and his young daughter tragically drowned in the swollen Sawan River in Islamabad on Tuesday after their car stalled in deep rainwater and was swept away. Despite an extensive search and rescue operation involving multiple agencies, neither the vehicle nor its occupants had been recovered by nightfall, forcing a halt to operations.
Colonel (retd) Ishaq Qazi, a resident of Sector A, DHA Phase 5, had reportedly left his home on early Tuesday morning with his 25-year-old daughter. Their journey took a devastating turn when their car became stranded on a road inundated by rainwater. As Ishaq attempted to restart the vehicle, water entered the engine, rendering it inoperable. Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene as the water flow intensified, pushing the car inexorably towards a deep storm water drain. Ishaq and his daughter were seen extending their hands from the drifting vehicle, desperately pleading for help from bystanders. Tragically, their cries went unheard or were overshadowed by individuals filming the unfolding disaster, as the car, with both father and daughter inside, ultimately disappeared into the churning depths of the drain.
Upon receiving the alarming alert, a multi-agency search and rescue operation was immediately launched. Police, Rescue 1122 and a team of divers were rapidly deployed to the scene. Shortly thereafter, Pakistan Navy divers, supported by helicopters and heavy machinery, also arrived to search for the submerged vehicle and its occupants. Despite relentless efforts throughout the day, the rescue teams and divers were unable to locate the car. The challenging conditions and the onset of darkness necessitated the suspension of the operation until Wednesday morning.
SSP Islamabad (retd) Jameel Hashmi, a neighbour of Ishaq, offered insights into the potential fate of the submerged vehicle. He said if the car was not firmly stuck at the bottom of the stream, it might resurface due to air trapped in its tyres. He explained the local topography, noting that the Ling River, originating from Kallar Syedan, converged with the Sawan River from Kahuta at this point. This confluence, particularly during the monsoon season, is known to exacerbate the destructive power of floodwaters. Based on his experience, he speculated that the submerged car could likely surface near Chountra, an area where the river expands and its depth significantly decreases. He also mentioned that nets have been strategically placed at Chountra.
Jameel revealed that Ishaq had left home at 8am on Tuesday to drop his daughter at DHA Phase 2. At 8:11am, his daughter made a desperate phone call to her elder sister, saying “we are drowning, please save us”, before the line went dead. Footage showing the two being swept away widely circulated on social media.
In Hafizabad, 140 villages adjacent to Pindi Bhattian were submerged, destroying crops worth millions of rupees, while several feet of water remained in the said villages, paralyzing life. On the other hand, due to the standing water in these villages for the past several days, various diseases have started spreading while many houses and camps have collapsed.
A total of 234 lives have been lost across Pakistan, with 596 individuals injured, 826 houses damaged, and 203 livestock perished, as rain-related hazards and flash floods continued to wreak havoc from June 26 onwards, according to the latest figures shared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
