At least 24 people are missing and feared dead after a flood tore into a village in Muzaffarabad’s Wadi Neelum Sunday night. 

Flood occurs mostly from heavy rainfall when natural watercourses do not have the capacity to carry excess water.

Since February 2019 up-till now, widespread flooding has affected large parts of Pakistan, most severely in Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, and other provinces.

According to sources, there are reports of major damage in the Leswa village and more than 100 houses are being destroyed. Army, district administration, police, and the residents of the area are participating in rescue efforts.

According to Muzaffarabad Commissioner Chaudhry Imtiaz, the deputy comissioner is overseeing the operation.

“There was no time for an alert to be issued. They had forecasts of rain in the area and Kashmir but the onset of the flood was too sudden to do anything.” – Comissioner Imtiaz

He further said, “it was due to a cloud burst.”

Temporary camps are being set up for the victims and different food items are being gathered. Most of the missing people are from the Tableeghi Jamaat who were living at a mosque. Locals who went to rescue them went missing and feared dead as well.