Army rescues 52 stranded people after Neelum Valley flash floods

Search operation for drowned persons in progress; provision of food, rations and medical care continues

At least 52 stranded individuals have been airlifted to safer places by the military troops after heavy rains and flash floods wreaked havoc in Azad Kashmir’s Neelum Valley on Monday.

The military troops are assisting civil administration in the ongoing rescue and relief operations launched following landslide near Laswa village and flash floods in Neelum Jhelum River at Nauseri, Danni, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

PHOTO: ISPR

The Pakistan Army has established several relief camps with relief efforts, including provision of food, rations and medical care, continued into the evening.

At least 23 dead, dozens missing after Neelum Valley flash floods

At least 23 people have died and dozens more, including women and children, are missing amid flash floods in the region.

Over 150 houses in the Laswa area of the valley were damaged and dozens of people were swept away in floods that officials said were caused by a cloudburst.

Many structures in Laswa’s main market, including two mosques, were also completely destroyed. Traffic flow in the area has been severely disrupted, while cell phone and internet services are also affected.

Officials also confirmed the deaths of five people, including a little girl, after a touring jeep fell into River Neelum. One person survived the accident and was admitted to hospital in critical condition.

Cloudburst is a rare phenomenon in which a large amount of water pours down on the ground due to the burst of clouds. Normally rainfall over 100 mm per hour is considered as a cloudburst.