WATCH: Mahandri Bridge washed away by heavy rains, leaving tourists stranded in Kaghan Valley

Rains battered several districts in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, impacting infrastructure and isolating local communities

ISLAMABAD:

Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across the upper parts of Pakistan, washing away the Mahandri Bridge and leaving many tourists stranded in Kaghan Valley.

The Met Department has issued warnings of potential flooding in multiple regions, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, northeast Punjab, upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Koh-e-Sulaiman, and adjacent hills of Balochistan.

The heavy rains have battered several districts in K-P and Gilgit-Baltistan, impacting infrastructure and isolating local communities.

In Kaghan Valley, the destruction of the Mahandri Bridge has severed a crucial transportation link, effectively cutting off access to Naran and other parts of the valley. This has stranded approximately 10,000 to 15,000 tourists and disrupted the daily lives of local residents. The Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) announced that no charges will be taken from tourists for lodging and food.

Tourists, who flocked to the valley for its cool climate and stunning vistas, now find themselves trapped, confined to hotels and guesthouses with dwindling supplies, or taking refuge in temporary shelters set up by local authorities. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned tourists to avoid unnecessary travel due to landslides, washed-away bridges, and possible flash floods.

In Lower Dir, heavy rainfall has led to flooding in the Maidan River at Balambat in Timergara. Swabi has experienced intermittent rains, with water entering houses in Sharifabad, and rescue teams working to extract it. In Kotha, a house roof collapsed, burying two cattle, with rescue operations in progress. Chitral and Lower Dir have faced severe flooding in several areas, causing extensive damage to residential houses, gardens, and agricultural lands, and disrupting vehicular traffic. Similar flooding has been reported in the rivers of Koghuzi, Shishi Koh, and Kalash Valley in Lower Chitral.

In a tragic incident, 11 family members were killed as floodwater entered their basement. Persistent rains in Muzaffarabad, Neelum, and Jhelum valleys have created pleasant weather but also caused road closures, particularly on the highway connecting Muzaffarabad to Rawalpindi at Kohala. The Met Department predicts continued rain for the next day.

In Harnai and its adjoining areas, heavy rains have caused floods in rivers and canals, suspending traffic on the Harnai-Quetta highway. The high-level flood relay in the Zardalu River has damaged nearby agricultural lands. Khyber district and its suburbs have experienced intermittent rain, leading to a drop in temperature and increased water flow in rivers and canals.

In Swat, rains have caused flooding in the upper areas of Kalam, washing away a temporary land passage and suspending connections with the upper areas. Heavy machinery has been deployed to restore the passage. All departments, including the NHA, have been directed to remain alert, with steps being taken to keep roads open in Swat, Kalam, and other tourist spots.