MANSEHRA: The district administration on Tuesday barred tourists from travelling to Saiful Muluk lake amid fears of flash floods in the Kaghan Valley.

“We have deployed policemen to ensure the safety of tourists and have restricted travel to flash flood-prone areas of Kaghan Valley, including Lake Saiful Muluk, until the weather clears,” Balakot Assistant Commissioner Hasrat Khan told reporters.

Upper parts of Hazara division, including Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts, received heavy rainfall for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, triggering landslides and blocking several roads.

A large number of tourists had remained stranded in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley and at Lake Saiful Muluk after landslides blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road and the road linking Naran with the lake.

“All stranded tourists left for their respective destinations earlier in the day after the administration cleared the landslides and restored traffic on the roads,” Mr Khan said.

He said that in view of the continuing rainfall, police had been deployed on the Lake Saiful Muluk Road and no one was being allowed to proceed towards the lake.

“We have also taken several people into custody for risking their lives by attempting to retrieve timber logs from the Kunhar River,” Mr Khan said.

The assistant commissioner said a temporary ramp had been constructed on the MNJ Road to restore traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“The damaged section will be restored once the weather clears,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026