HASSAN ABDAL/BALAKOT:
Flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the upcountry areas continued to wreak havoc on Wednesday, as 10 people were swept away in a swollen stream in Hassan Abdal, while authorities braved heavy monsoon downpours in the Kaghan Valley to rescue 160 stranded passengers, officials said.
The tragedy struck Jhary Kas, Hassan Abdal, when a vehicle carrying 10 people was swept away by a flash flood in a local stream. Officials said Rescue 1122 divers had recovered four bodies – all women from Wah Cantt – while the search continued for a missing child.
The deceased included three sisters: Kinza, Nazia, and Sabira Bibi. The fourth victim was identified as Aiman Bibi. A four-year-old boy, Mustafa, remains missing. The search was temporarily suspended late at night but was expected to resume early in the morning, according to rescue authorities.
Initial reports suggest the family was returning from a wedding ceremony when the incident occurred. Their vehicle was caught in a sudden, strong water current caused by recent heavy rainfall, which led to dangerously high-water levels in the stream.
In another tragic incident amid the ongoing monsoon downpours, a mud house collapsed in Darveshabad, Balakot (Abbottabad district), killing two girls. Locals pulled the girls from the rubble, but they succumbed to their injuries.
Further north, the Mansehra district administration, the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA), and the National Highway Authority (NHA) worked overnight to rescue over 160 travellers and restore traffic between the tourist spots of Jalkhad, Barwai and Besar.
Officials stated that tourists and Gilgit-bound passengers were stranded after flash floods in local streams.
“The KDA, NHA, and district administration staff worked amid heavy rains and cleared the highway after 12 hours,” KDA official Moazzam Khan told The Express Tribune.
Balakot Assistant Commissioner Nadir Khan added that Rescue 1122 personnel waded through the flooded stream near Besar to reach those trapped in their vehicles. “All people were safely evacuated at night and relocated to nearby hotels,” Khan said.
Rescue teams provided first aid to eight individuals suffering from minor injuries, physical exhaustion, hypoglycemia, and vomiting. Fortunately, no serious casualties were reported.
The ongoing heavy monsoon rains have created hazardous conditions in various tourist destinations, increasing the risk of road blockades, landslides and flooding in low-lying and hilly areas. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) urged people to take precautionary measures. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
