MUZAFFARABAD – At least six members of the same family have been confirmed dead and around 800 tourists remain stranded at Ratti Gali Base Camp as landslides, flash floods, and relentless monsoon rains devastate large parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Authorities warn that worsening weather, rising rivers, and blocked access routes have turned the region into an active disaster zone.
The most severe disruption is in Neelum Valley, where continuous rainfall has triggered landslides that have cut off the main approach roads to the scenic Ratti Gali area. Tourists trapped at the base camp report dwindling food and water supplies, plummeting temperatures, and no safe exit.
Rescue agencies, including the Pakistan Army, are attempting evacuations via helicopters, but poor visibility and heavy rain are delaying operations.
“This is a frightening situation,” said one stranded visitor. “We came here for the beauty, but now survival is our only concern.” Local residents in the valley are also facing major losses, with homes, bridges, and small businesses washed away in the surging waters.
Muzaffarabad Tragedy
The confirmed fatalities occurred in Sarli Sacha village of Muzaffarabad district when a cloudburst over Jhugiyan Nullah sent a wall of water crashing through highland pastures. Two houses were swept away, killing Muhammad Naveed, his wife Asiya Bibi, and their four children—all under the age of ten.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) officials say there is no hope of survival. Another villager, 60-year-old Jamdali, was critically injured.
Local councillor Raja Manzoor Hussain said the remote location delayed the initial response. “The terrain is difficult, there’s no telecom service, and the main track was washed out. Even getting the message to authorities took hours,” he explained.
Widespread Damage Across AJK
In Sudhnoti district, 26-year-old Misbah Ashfaq was swept away by a flooded stream and died, while her younger sister was injured. The district also saw 34 houses damaged and three bridges destroyed. In Bagh district, 57-year-old Akhtar Begum died when her house collapsed during heavy rain.
Neelum Valley suffered severe infrastructure losses. A well-known bridge near Kundal Shahi’s popular waterfall was torn away by the swollen Jagran Nullah, the same site where a suspension bridge collapsed in 2018, killing several tourists. The Kutton Bridge and a rest house were destroyed, while upstream floodwaters swept away another bridge, four containers, a store, and equipment belonging to the Jagran-II hydropower project.
Humanitarian Response and Warnings
According to SDMA and Rescue 1122, a large-scale rescue operation is underway with army helicopters on standby. AJK Information Minister Pir Mazhar Saeed, who visited Ratti Gali, announced that camp owners would provide free food and shelter to stranded tourists until evacuations are possible.
The SDMA has issued flood warnings in Muzaffarabad as water outflow from Nauseri Dam reached 1,000 cubic metres per second—an unusually high and dangerous level. Vulnerable riverside families are being relocated to safer sites, including Jinnah Pilot High School in Lower Plate and Ali Akbar Awan High School in Upper Chhattar.
The Muzaffarabad–Mansehra highway remains blocked at Lohar Gali, and several other roads are either cut off or strewn with debris. Authorities have strongly advised against any non-essential travel to mountainous regions.
Climate Change Connection
Climate experts link the repeated cloudbursts and sudden flash floods in AJK directly to climate change, warning that intense rainfall in steep mountain terrain can wipe out entire communities within minutes. Unplanned riverside construction and poorly designed bridges are often the first to be destroyed.
National Toll
Nationwide, monsoon rains have killed at least 313 people, including 142 children, and injured 740 others since late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts further heavy rains from August 14–17, warning that monsoon activity will intensify midweek.
Emergency Contacts
- SDMA: 05822-921643
- Rescue 1122: 1122
- Police Emergency: 15
This unfolding tragedy is more than a series of grim statistics. It is the story of families torn apart, tourists trapped in a fight for survival, and communities watching their homes and livelihoods vanish under relentless water and rock. As rescue teams race against time, the prayers of the nation are with the dead, the missing, and the stranded.
