PM Imran expresses grief over loss of lives in Neelum Valley flash floods

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday expressed grief over the loss of human lives in Neelum Valley flash flood, ARY News reported.

At least 22 people are missing and feared dead after a flood ransacked into a village in Muzaffarabad’s Neelum Valley late Sunday night.

The premier has asked relevant authorities to speed up the rescue activities in the flash flood area.

According to details, a local village adjacent to Lesua Nala saw massive flooding in the waterway resulting in the destruction of over 150 houses and ample people missing and or dead, according to initial reports.

Temporary camps are being set up to house the displaced people and food and non-food items are being gathered.

No bodies have been found thus far but officials say the chances of anyone being found alive are slim to none.

Telephone lines are down and roads leading to the village are blocked. Rescue officials are trying to get past the roadblocks to the village but the terrain is a difficult one and no worthwhile help has reached the affected area.

Commissioner Islamabad on the occasion said that prior forecasts for torrential rains had been issued and the flooding event was unforeseen and unfortunate.

Earlier, Pakistan Army has rescued all the tourists, who were stuck in the air after a chair lift wire detached from the pulley due to typhoon in Muree, on June 30.