Floods and rains wreaked havoc in Pakistan, 49 people died; thousands of tourists stranded

News Topical, Digital Desk : At least 49 people have died in different parts of the country in the last 24 hours due to sudden heavy rains and floods in Pakistan. Rescue workers evacuated more than 1300 tourists stranded due to the floods.

Most of the deaths due to floods and rains have occurred in northern and north-western Pakistan. Since 26 July, more than 360 people have lost their lives due to floods and rains in Pakistan. Most of them are women and children.

Floods wreak havoc in different parts of Pakistan

At least 10 people were killed on Thursday after being swept away by flash floods in Gazar district of Gilgit-Baltistan region, local government spokesman, Faizullah Faraq said.

16 people died due to cloudburst

Sixteen people, including women and children, were also killed in flash floods triggered by a massive cloudburst in Bajaur in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, rescue official Amjad Khan said, adding that 17 others were swept away and are still missing.

Flash floods also hit Battagram district, killing 10 people. 18 others are still missing.

Tourists trapped in landslide after flood

Seven more people died in separate rain-related incidents in PoK on Thursday, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

Bilal Faizi, spokesman for the State Emergency Department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said 1,300 tourists were trapped in flash floods and landslides in the Siran Valley of Mansehra district on Thursday and it took hours to rescue them.

Faraq said that Gilgit-Baltistan has been hit by floods several times since July, causing landslides on the Karakoram Highway. The Karakoram Highway is a major trade route connecting Pakistan and China which is also used by tourists for travelling.

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