A fresh spell of monsoon rain caused widespread damage in different parts of Pakistan on Monday as cloudbursts, heavy downpours and flash floods swept away homes, shops, vehicles and bridges. In Khyber District, three members of an Afghan family lost their lives after their vehicle was carried away by floodwaters.
The severe weather also pushed up water levels in rivers and seasonal streams, prompting authorities to issue flood alerts and advise residents as well as tourists to stay away from vulnerable areas.
The worst destruction was reported in the Katha Piran area of Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where a cloudburst triggered a powerful flash flood. The flood washed away a mosque, a government school, six houses, 16 shops, a passenger van, two jeeps, 11 motorcycles and six wooden bridges, causing heavy damage to public and private property.
In Khyber District, heavy rain caused flash floods in Landi Kotal, Bara and Jamrud, disrupting traffic and blocking the Pakistan-Afghanistan Highway. A passenger van carrying an Afghan family was swept away in Landi Kotal, killing three people, including a woman.
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Rescue 1122 teams, with the help of residents, recovered the bodies from the Jabba Khwar stream in Jamrud and shifted them to a hospital. Rescue officials said the search operation was still underway as more family members were feared missing. Authorities again appealed to the public to avoid rivers, streams and flood channels during heavy rainfall.
In Shangla, a passenger coach fell into a ravine near Shangla Top, leaving 14 people injured.
Flash floods also caused extensive damage in Kaghan Valley. Four wooden bridges and two concrete bridges were swept away, while dozens of houses and shops were partially damaged. Several water supply schemes, fish farms and standing crops were also destroyed.
In the Moli Katha area of Siran Valley, floodwaters damaged three houses and a hotel. The Additional Deputy Commissioner advised residents and tourists to avoid travelling to Kaghan and Siran valleys until the situation improves.
Heavy rain in Balakot caused seasonal streams to overflow and triggered landslides, disrupting traffic at several points and leaving a number of tourist vehicles stranded near flood channels.
In Swat’s tourist destination of Malam Jabba, a vehicle became stuck in a rain-fed stream. Rescue personnel and tourism police reached the scene quickly and safely evacuated all passengers without any casualties or property damage.
Authorities are also keeping a close watch on river levels in Punjab. Water levels in the Chenab River have started rising near Wazirabad, while the National Disaster Management Authority has issued an urban flooding alert. Low-level flooding has developed at the Khanki and Qadirabad headworks.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said water flow in most Punjab rivers remains within normal limits, but further increases are expected until July 24 because of ongoing monsoon rains.
Flood alerts have also been issued for the Basantar, Deg, Palkhu, Bhimber, Halsey and Dora streams. Flash flooding is also feared in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, and residents living near rivers and streams have been advised to move to safer places.
In Zafarwal, the local administration has been placed on high alert due to the risk of flooding in the Dek stream. Mosque announcements have urged residents to remain cautious, while rescue authorities have advised people to stay away from the watercourse.
Heavy rain also affected Lahore and several other cities in Punjab. Gulshan Ravi received the highest rainfall in Lahore with 98 millimetres, followed by Farukhabad with 46mm, Samanabad with 43mm, Saggian with 42mm and Iqbal Town with 25mm.
Murree and Islamabad also experienced heavy rainfall. Murree recorded 100mm of rain, leading to a landslide on Bostal Road. Electricity cables snapped near Kashmir Point and strong winds uprooted trees in several areas.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rainfall in different cities of Sindh during the next 24 hours. Karachi is expected to remain partly cloudy, with light showers likely later in the day.