Thousands stranded as rain-triggered landslides blocked China-Pakistan highway

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains blocked a major highway connecting Pakistan and neighboring China on Wednesday, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded on either side of the road while a search for several missing tourists continues.

Heavy rains caused torrents of mud and tumbling boulders to block the Karakoram Highway at various points, preventing traffic from northern Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from reaching the rest of the country.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government's spokesman, Faizullah Faraq, told Anadolu that most points in the region have been cleared. However, the majority of blockades have been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving thousands of vehicles stranded.

A search operation continued for the third consecutive day on Wednesday to find 15-20 tourists who went missing after a cloudburst hit Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamir district earlier this week.

According to a statement from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's disaster management authority, 13 people have died in the province in the last 48 hours as a result of roof collapses and drowning. Several districts in the eastern Punjab province continued to receive torrential rains on Wednesday, with the meteorological department forecasting more downpours until Friday.

Since June 26, nearly 240 people, including women and children, have died in rain-related incidents across Pakistan, primarily in Punjab, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.