Over 200 tourists stranded in Chilas rescued

GILGIT: Over 200 tourists, who were stranded in Chilas due to flash floods, have been rescued and shifted to safer locations, according to spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government, Faizullah Firaq.

He said the search operation for missing persons is still underway, though efforts were affected overnight due to darkness.

According to Firaq, all hotels and guesthouses have been opened free of cost for tourists in the area. However, the Babusar Top region has witnessed extensive destruction due to torrential rains and flooding.

A girls’ school, two hotels, a watermill, and a wheat storage depot have been completely destroyed. A police checkpoint and shelter have also been washed away.

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More than 50 houses connected to the Babusar Road have been demolished. An 8-kilometer stretch of road has been damaged, while 15 points are blocked, cutting off access. Four connecting bridges have collapsed due to flash floods.

Firaq added that thousands of feet of construction timber has also been swept away by the floodwaters. Two mosques near Babusar have been partially damaged as well.

Communication systems in Thak Babusar have also been disrupted, disconnecting the area from the rest of the region. The rescue and relocation of stranded tourists in Chilas to safer zones is ongoing.

Authorities say relief operations have been expanded in the affected areas to prevent further loss of life and property.

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