MUZAFFARABAD: A dramatic rescue operation successfully saved 150 tourists stranded on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad after heavy rains and a subsequent cloudburst caused severe disruption in the area.
The tourists, who had been left stranded due to a road closure, were rescued by a combined team consisting of the Pakistan Army, police, Rescue 1122 teams, and local volunteers.
The stranded tourists, who had been trapped after a five-kilometer stretch of road leading to Muzaffarabad was blocked, expressed gratitude for the swift and coordinated efforts that saved their lives. The torrential rainfall caused a significant obstruction, leaving the tourists isolated in difficult conditions.
The rescue operation, launched promptly following the incident, was closely monitored by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), under the direction of SDMA’s Director General, Sardar Waheed Khan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had issued instructions to ensure rapid action, and AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq personally supervised the ongoing operations.
According to SDMA’s DG Waheed, the control room was alerted to the crisis at 10:00 PM. “Despite the challenging conditions, including heavy rain and rough terrain, personnel covered 18 to 19 kilometers on foot and by vehicle to reach the stranded tourists,” Waheed said. By 3:00 AM the following morning, all the tourists were safely escorted back to their homes.
Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq commended the timely actions of the rescue teams and ordered the reopening of the affected road. He praised the collaboration between the different agencies involved in the rescue effort.
Meanwhile, heavy rain continues to impact Muzaffarabad and surrounding areas, with reports indicating that water has begun to flood homes in some areas. Authorities are on high alert, monitoring the situation closely to prevent further damage and ensure public safety.
In another weather-related incident, six people were injured after the roof of a house in Rawalpindi’s New Sarafa Bazaar collapsed due to the severe weather conditions. Three men and three women were injured in the incident, with four receiving immediate medical treatment on the spot. Two others were transferred to a nearby hospital for further care.
Local authorities are investigating the incident, and steps are being taken to assist the affected individuals and prevent similar occurrences in the future as the heavy rainfall continues to pose a risk to infrastructure in the region.
