Flash floods kill 3 tourists and leave 15 missing in northern Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains swept distant respective vehicles carrying tourists successful bluish Pakistan, sidesplitting astatine slightest 3 radical and leaving 15 others missing, officials said connected Tuesday.

Pakistani rescue officials accidental the above-normal monsoon rains since June 26 person killed astatine slightest 225 radical and injured much than 500 crossed the country. Experts accidental clime alteration is driving an summation successful utmost upwind events successful the region.

A cloudburst caused floods and landslides connected Monday, stranding much than 200 section tourists aft a cardinal road adjacent the bluish Chilas territory was blocked, said Faizullah Faraq, a authorities spokesperson successful the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Army helicopters were utilized successful the evacuation, which included women and children, helium said.

Several vehicles had been buried nether the rubble of landslides and rescuers are utilizing dense machinery to find the missing tourists and residents, Faraq said. Three bodies person been recovered.

The National Disaster Management Authority issued an updated flood days before, informing against question to bluish areas owed to imaginable landslides and blocked roads.

Earlier this month, authorities warned they cannot regularisation retired a repetition of utmost upwind similar the 2022 floods that submerged a 3rd of the state and killed 1,737 people.