Category: 1. Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains swept away several vehicles carrying tourists in northern Pakistan, killing at least three people and leaving 15 others missing, officials said on Tuesday.

Pakistani rescue officials say the above-normal monsoon rains since June 26 have killed at least 225 people and injured more than 500 across the country. Experts say climate change is driving an increase in extreme weather events in the region.

A cloudburst caused floods and landslides on Monday, stranding more than 200 local tourists after a key highway near the northern Chilas district was blocked, said Faizullah Faraq, a government spokesperson in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Army helicopters were used in the evacuation, which included women and children, he said.

Several vehicles had been buried under the rubble of landslides and rescuers are using heavy machinery to find the missing tourists and residents, Faraq said. Three bodies have been recovered.

The National Disaster Management Authority issued an updated flood days before, warning against travel to northern areas due to potential landslides and blocked roads.

Earlier this month, authorities warned they cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and killed 1,737 people.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Warning Centre issued a three-day forecast for Karachi, predicting light rain showers during night and early morning hours.

Skies are expected to remain cloudy, with maximum daytime temperatures ranging from 33°C and 35°C. Humidity levels may reach 80% percent in the morning, falling to around 65% by evening.

Steady sea breezes will prevail along the coast line for coming days. As monsoon currents continue to move to other parts of Sindh, light rain or drizzle is also expected in the districts of Khairpur, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal and Jamshoro

Moreover, monsoon downpours are periodically lashing other parts of the country, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi. In the last 24 hours Islamabad recorded 184mm of rain, while Narowal and Muzaffarabad saw 62 mm each. Kotli received 57mm, Rawalpindi 54 mm and Murree 42 mm, emphasising the irregular but intense nature of this year’s monsoon.

Moreover, the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergencies Operation Center has issued a landslide alert for northern regions.

Rainfall is expected across valleys of Gilgit‑Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir— Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Astore, Diamer, Ghanche, Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Haveli, Bagh and Poonch—while upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa districts including Chitral, Dir and Kohistan face widespread heavy downpours.

The authorities have warned of heightened risks of landslides, mudslides, rockfalls and ground collapses and urged all relevant agencies and residents to remain vigilant and restrict travel on steep or unstable slopes.