It’s been a really tough time in Pakistan lately, folks. Continuous, heavy monsoon rains have sadly caused a lot of damage, leading to flash floods and landslides. In just 24 hours, at least 21 people have tragically lost their lives, bringing the total number of rain-related deaths this monsoon season to a heartbreaking 242.
Up in the beautiful, hilly region of Gilgit-Baltistan, a sudden, heavy downpour on Tuesday caused terrible floods and landslides. This left over 200 tourists stranded, which must have been incredibly frightening. But here’s a bit of good news: officials quickly jumped into action and managed to rescue them all! “We’ve rescued between 200 and 250 people in various areas who came for tourism,” a government official named Farmanullah Khan said. He also mentioned that everyone rescued was a Pakistani national. Sadly, between 15 to 20 people are still missing from other incidents, and search efforts are continuing.
The rescued tourists were taken to the city of Chilas, where they found safety and shelter in hotels. Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government, confirmed that rescue operations are still going strong, with military personnel helping out, and helicopters are ready to fly if needed.
Just a day earlier, on Monday, the floods in the Diamer district of the same region sadly claimed the lives of four other tourists, and 15 more went missing. Most of the deaths across Pakistan have been caused by houses collapsing under the relentless downpour. It’s a real struggle for the country, which is still trying to get back on its feet after the devastating floods in 2022 that killed almost 1,700 people and displaced over 30 million. Officials are saying this year’s rains are even more intense than last year’s, and this particular heavy spell is expected to last until July 25th.
Because of the danger, a landslide alert has been put out for several northern areas, including parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir. The weather folks are forecasting more widespread rain, winds, and thunderstorms across northern Pakistan and parts of Punjab province.
It’s worth remembering that Pakistan, with its huge population of about 250 million, is one of the countries most affected by climate change. It’s also home to over 7,000 glaciers, which is more than anywhere else outside of the North and South Poles! This means there’s always a risk of glacial lakes bursting and causing flash floods. The local Disaster Management Authority in Gilgit-Baltistan even warned people back in June to avoid rivers and streams because of this very risk.
Zakir Hussein, the head of that authority, mentioned that while warnings do help keep some tourists away, they can’t always stop everyone. He said, “Generally tourists pay attention to our warning notices. Those who still choose to come are either those who did not see the warning or those who have some urgency to visit.” He urged people to take weather predictions seriously, especially given how dangerous the floods can be.
Even on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, the rains caused a frightening incident where two people in a car were swept into a storm drain. A video circulating online showed their vehicle being carried away by the powerful floodwaters. Rescue teams are currently searching for them. A local pharmacy owner, Abdul Moiz, mentioned that only a few shops were open because of the continuous heavy rain. He braved the storm to keep his pharmacy open, thinking people might need medicines.
It’s a challenging time for Pakistan, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by these relentless rains and floods. Let’s hope the rescue efforts are successful and the weather eases soon.
