Another 11 people in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan were swept away by hill torrents on Tuesday, raising the death toll of the district to over 30. Over 100 people have so far lost their lives in Gilgit-Baltistan during the flash floods triggered by heavy rains. Over a dozen bodies are yet to be recovered from the debris of the landslide in Skardu.
Due to the heavy rains in the Northern Areas, thousands of lives are still at risk from frequent landslides and flood in low lying valleys. The landslides triggered by flashfloods on Tuesday also swept away at least eight members of a family with two pedestrians in Khinnar valley near Chilas, the headquarters of district Diamer.
Besides, the landslides in Ghizer, Hunza-Nagar, Astore and Baltistan have blocked roads linking the districts with the rest of the country with damages of houses and bridges.
Buttar Nallah, Miad Valley, Khandari Nallah and Batogah Nallah villages are under threat. The torrential rains and floods have also damaged the Karakoram Highway at various locations between Gilgit and Hunza-Nagar and the Gilgit-Skardu road while there left no link with Diamer and rest of the country.
Talking to Business Recorder from Diamer, sources said that though thousands of people with the help of Pakistan Army and local administration have left their houses and moved to safer places, yet people in remote areas are still unattended. They said that there was a threat of expected torrent tide which may triple the current destructions and human losses. With no supply of kitchen items, medicines and fuel from the downcountry for the last few weeks the people in Gilgit-Baltistan are facing acute shortage of food as Karakorum Highway has been damaged in different areas.