GILGIT: Two bodies were recovered after a vehicle carrying six tourists from Punjab fell into the Indus river near the Sasi area of Skardu.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, six tourists were returning from Skardu on Monday when their vehicle met with the accident on the Juglot-Skardu road while taking a sharp turn at 7am on Monday.

The search for four missing victims was underway. All six of them hailed from Rajanpur in Punjab.

They were identified as Abdul Ghaffar, Mohammad Azad, Haq Nawaz, Mohammad Taimur, Mohammad Talha and Sanaullah.

One body was recovered near Thalichi, 53km south of Sassi, while another from near Ansar camp.

Search underway for four; KKH, other GB roads blocked due to landslides; flash floods damage six homes in Diamer

Two torches, two mobile phones, four gas cylinders and four pairs of shoes have been found on the spot.

According to rescue officials, the flow of water in the river was very high, making the search operation challenging. The visibility has been reduced to zero due to the muddy water.

According to locals, the car fell into the river due to speeding as the driver was not familiar with the road edges.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed rescue agencies to speed up the search operation.

Mr Khan also ordered the GB tourists police to ensure the implementation of travel advisory to protect precious human lives and carry out awareness and safety campaigns for tourists during their travel.

This is the second accident on the Juglot-Skardu road in as many days, as four members of a family were killed on Sunday when rocks fell on their car near the Shangus area of Skardu.

Mohammad Shifa, a forest department officer from Astore, was going to Gilgit from Skardu with his wife and three children.

The family was waiting in the car as the road was blocked after a landslide.

According to rescue officials, the car was crushed under falling rocks at about 3am on Sunday.

Mr Shifa got injured while his wife and children died in the accident.

Thousands stranded in GB

Meanwhile, extreme weather events continue to disrupt life in GB as flash floods and landslides blocked Karakoram Highway and adjoining roads in many areas of the region.

Thousands of tourists and locals have been left stranded and areas in the region were running out of critical supplies.

The Juglot-Skardu road was opened for traffic on Monday after being blocked at 10 locations due to landslides. Flash floods in seasonal streams also cut off the Karakoram Highway at multiple locations in Diamer and Babusar Pass.

Access to Shimshal area of Hunza, and Hisper, Yasin Valley and several other areas of Diamer remained disconnected as approach roads were blocked.

Six houses were also destroyed and standing crops damaged as flash floods ravaged the Thore area of Diamer on Monday.

Electricity supply to many areas including Gilgit, Ghizer, Diamer and Nagar was also suspended.

According to police, flash floods damaged homes, crops and other infrastructure in Khinar, Gais Pain and Batugah areas of Diamer.

Damages due to flash floods were also reported in Handur village of Yasin in Ghizer on Sunday where standing crops and orchards were destroyed.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023