Rescuers call off search for 11 people presumed dead in Pakistan floods

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Rescuers in northern Pakistan on Monday called off a two-week search for at least 11 people swept away by flash floods last month, saying they are now presumed dead, a government spokesperson said.

The victims were among 18 people who went missing in July while traveling from the city of Chilas to Skardu when their vehicles were carried away by floods triggered by heavier-than-normal rainfall, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government.

He said rescuers found the bodies of seven people from the debris along a highway that was badly damaged by the landslide.

The highway has been reopened for traffic after the repair work, he said.

Pakistan recorded 36% more rainfall in July than the same period last year, according to Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Since June 26, more than 300 people have died in rain-related incidents in Pakistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority, which issued a new warning of flooding in various parts of the country.

The unusually heavy rains have raised fears of a repeat of the catastrophic 2022 floods that submerged a third of Pakistan and killed nearly 1,750 people.