PESHAWAR: Rescue teams evacuated more than 200 stranded passengers after flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains blocked a major road in Lower Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emergency officials said on Wednesday.
According to Rescue 1122, torrential rainfall caused flash floods and debris flows that cut off several sections of the Drosh-Ashirat Road, leaving passenger vehicles stranded at multiple locations. Emergency responders launched a large-scale rescue operation and safely evacuated all affected travelers without any reported casualties.
Rescue officials said personnel deployed at nearby monitoring points initiated the operation immediately before additional teams arrived from the district headquarters to assist in the response.
The rescue mission continued for nearly six hours and covered the flood-affected areas of Kalkatak, Kaldam Gol, Sawir and Ashirat. A total of 20 Rescue 1122 personnel, supported by three ambulances and a disaster response vehicle, participated in the operation.
Authorities coordinated with the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the district administration to clear the blocked road, restore traffic and ensure the safety of commuters.
Rescue 1122 confirmed that no deaths or injuries were reported during the incident despite the intensity of the flash floods.
The latest emergency comes as Pakistan continues to experience an active monsoon season, which runs from June to September and frequently brings flash floods, landslides and the collapse of vulnerable structures, particularly in the country’s mountainous northern regions.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), monsoon-related incidents since June 26 have claimed at least 18 lives and injured 61 others across the country. The authority also reported damage to 104 houses and the loss of 163 livestock due to heavy rains and flooding.
Climate experts have warned that Pakistan is becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather as rising global temperatures accelerate glacier melting and alter rainfall patterns. The combination of intense rainfall and rapid snow and glacier melt has significantly increased the risk of flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in northern Pakistan.
Last month, the NDMA issued an advisory warning of a heightened risk of glacial lake outburst floods in Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, urging provincial authorities to strengthen monitoring systems, prepare evacuation plans and keep emergency response teams on standby.
With more rainfall forecast in the coming days, disaster management officials have advised residents, particularly those living in mountainous and flood-prone areas, to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rain and follow official weather advisories.
