CHILAS, Gilgit-Baltistan: Karakoram Highway closed near Buner Das after flash floods hit Diamer district, leaving passengers, freight vehicles and tourists stranded.
Torrential rain triggered flooding at more than six locations in Thor Valley near Chilas. The worst-hit areas included Thor, Niyat, Khanbari and Buner Das.
Floodwaters damaged residential areas, farmland, link roads and construction machinery. At Buner Das, long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the blocked Karakoram Highway.
Electricity supplies remained suspended in several affected areas. At Thosarka, floodwaters surrounded residential areas from both sides overnight.
Debris entered several homes and damaged agricultural land, standing crops and trees. Floods washed away sections of the Thor link road at several points, halting traffic, and damaged electricity transmission lines, causing outages across Thor Valley and nearby areas.
Read: GLOF Alert Issued for GB, KP As Rains Approach
In Khanbari Shing Shar Nullah in Darel subdivision, floods swept away two houses and household belongings. Several livestock were also killed in the flooding.
The floodwaters also washed away 13 dump trucks, one excavator, one crushing plant and two water tankers belonging to Hasnat Company.
Residents urged authorities to restore the highway, reopen link roads, reinstate electricity and compensate affected families.
