Two army officials among three killed in landslide on Karakoram Highway in K-P's Dasu

Three people, including two army officials, lost their lives while another was injured when a landslide struck a passenger bus on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) Upper Kohistan’s Dasu area early Monday morning. 

The bus, operated by the Northern Areas Transport Corporation and en route to Hunza, was hit by large boulders, according to Upper Kohistan District Police Officer (DPO) Mukhtiar Ahmad.

The deceased were identified as Imtiaz Hussain, a resident of Gilgit, and Sangal Hussain, son of Nazir Khan from Yasin, Ghizer, Gilgit, both serving in the army. The third victim, Sultan Mehmood, was the son of Abdul Hafeez and hailed from Rawalpindi. 

Additionally, the injured was identified as Dilshad Qamar, son of Shams ul Qamar, who is also a resident of Rawalpindi. The deceased and the injured individual were transported to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dasu. 

In the aftermath of the heavy rainfall that lashed the region on Sunday night, the KKH was blocked at several locations between Bisham and Diamer, leaving many travellers stranded. 

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Abdur Rehman reported that the heavy downpour had severely affected the area, disrupting travel for those journeying to and from Islamabad.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a weather advisory on Monday, warning of continued rainfall in various parts of the province. 

The PDMA cautioned that the rain could trigger landslides and increase water levels in rivers and streams, potentially leading to urban flooding and strong winds. 

The public was advised to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly to mountainous areas in the north, and to take precautions during adverse weather conditions.

In a separate incident last Friday, 12 members of a family were tragically killed in Upper Dir’s Maidan tehsil when the roof of their mud house collapsed due to heavy rain.