Cloudburst-induced floods wreak havoc in Diamer’s Thore Valley

WOMEN look at the damage to their home in Thore Valley.—Dawn • Dozens of families displaced as homes, roads and farmland suffer extensive damage• PMD issues Glof alert, while NEOC warns of landslide risk in mountainous and upper regions GILGIT: Cloudburst-induced floods wrea­ked havoc in Thore Valley of Diamer district on Saturday, while rapidly melting glaciers continued to raise water levels in rivers and streams across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), putting downstream communities at increasing risk. According to local police, flash floods triggered by a cloudburst over nearby mountains caused widespread devastation in Thore Valley. Several homes, hundreds of acres of farmland, orchards, trees, and both public and private property were damaged. The floods also destroyed link roads and communication bri­dges, cutting off access to several villages. Dozens of families were left homeless, while electricity and water supply systems were disrupted. Floodwaters swept away vehicles parked along roadsides and damaged standing crops. The wa­­ter also entered the Wapda Col­ony built for employees working on the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project, as well as nearby villages, causing extensive destruction. Assistant Director General of the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Ma­­nagement Authority (GBDMA), Imtiaz Ahmed, said the district administration responded immediately and intensified relief operations in the affected areas. He said food supplies, tents, and other essential relief items were being distributed among flood-affected families. He added that the valley’s main road had been reopened and damage as­­sessment was underway. “Authorities are working to res­­tore access and provide immediate assistance to families affe­cted by the flooding,” he said. Local residents appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, medical aid, and essential supplies for those who lost their homes and livelihoods. Heatwave Meanwhile, heatwave conditions continued across Gilgit-Baltistan on