BAJAUR – At least 21 people were killed and several others injured after a cloudburst and lightning struck the Jabrai area in Bajaur district’s Salarzai tehsil on Thursday night.
According to officials, the disaster occurred around midnight, destroying several houses and leaving many trapped under the debris.
Local residents immediately began rescue efforts, while rescue teams arrived during the night. However, the strong water flow and rising water levels made it difficult for machinery to reach the affected site.
Deputy Commissioner Bajaur, Shahid Ali, told media that 21 bodies have been recovered so far, while three injured individuals have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar. Search operations are ongoing, with at least seven people still reported missing.
Witnesses said the cloudburst caused a dangerous rise in water levels, cutting off access routes and complicating rescue operations. Local residents continue to assist in rescue efforts alongside emergency services.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, three people, including a woman, were killed in Khalthi valley of district Ghizer after heavy rains triggered floods and landslides in the region.
In Diamer, a brother and sister lost their lives after they were hit by raging floodwaters in Bonar area.
In Azad and Jammu Kashmir, flash floods and landslides have killed at least eight people and injured two others.
Six members of the same family lost their lives in a cloudburst in Naseerabad Tehsil of Muzaffarabad.
