Flood kill 46 in Gilgit-Baltistan

By Farooq Ahmed

GILGIT: Forty-six people were killed and 30 injured by lightning and flash floods in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, officials told Dawn on Wednesday. Ten people are missing.

The officials said lightning struck Gais Bala, about 25km south of Chilas, on Wednesday, killing 35 people who had left their flood-ravaged village and taken refuge on a hill two days ago.

Police chief Ali Sher said the village was cut off after a suspension bridge linking it with Karakoram Highway was destroyed by the Indus surge.

Another 11 people were killed in Khinar valley. Their bodies were found on Tuesday.

The floods have so far killed over 100 people in Gilgit-Baltistan, 58 of them in Baltistan.

People of the region are facing immense hardship because Karakoram Highway and link roads are blocked for 12 days and all flights have been suspended.

There is an acute shortage of medicines in hospitals in the region.