PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Rescue teams in northern Pakistan intensified their search efforts on Friday for at least a dozen tourists who went missing earlier this week after being swept away by flash floods caused by heavy monsoon rains. Faizullah Faraq, a government spokesperson, mentioned that up to 12 missing tourists are believed to be buried under a substantial pile of boulders and mud along a damaged section of a highway in the mountainous north of Pakistan.
Faraq emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Rescuers are racing against time to trace and rescue the missing tourists.” He reported that engineers were working tirelessly to reopen the Karakoram Highway, a critical route for the movement of people, goods, and trade between Pakistan and China through the border region.
In response to the crisis, army helicopters have been deployed to evacuate approximately 300 tourists stranded in remote areas due to landslides and flooding. Military planes have also been utilized to transport these individuals to major cities. The aftermath of the flash flood has left broken roads, scattered boulders, and thick layers of mud, demonstrating the significant destruction that has isolated the northern scenic regions from the rest of the country.
Social media footage revealed several vehicles still trapped in debris along the highway, while tourists were seen traversing narrow mountain paths in search of safer areas. Emergency crews have recovered the bodies of eight tourists and a local resident whose vehicles were buried under the rubble while traveling to the picturesque Chilas and Skardu districts in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, according to Faraq.
The deceased include three family members who journeyed from different parts of Pakistan, including the eastern Punjab province. Gulbar Khan, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, confirmed to reporters that efforts are underway to repair the damaged roads, acknowledging that the region's tourism sector has been severely affected following the tragic fatalities and closure of portions of the highway.
Nasir Hussain, an official at the Gilgit-Baltistan Hotel and Restaurants Association, reported that the monsoon rains have had a devastating impact on the local tourism industry, which typically attracts around one million Pakistani and foreign tourists during the peak season from May to September. Many travelers are reconsidering their plans in light of the recent disasters.
Despite multiple flood alerts and warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority regarding the risk of landslides and road closures, some travelers have continued to head towards Chilas and Skardu. Pakistan has experienced an alarming increase in rainfall, with 82% more precipitation observed this month compared to the same period in July 2024, as reported by the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The ongoing flash floods have been attributed to cloudbursts and glacial melting, conditions exacerbated by climate change.
The current above-average rainfall season has raised concerns about a potential repeat of the catastrophic floods experienced in 2022, which submerged a third of the country and resulted in the loss of 1,737 lives. As the search and rescue operations proceed amidst extreme weather, the focus remains on locating the missing tourists and addressing the humanitarian needs that have arisen from this natural disaster.
