Pakistan: 19 women drowned, several missing as boat capsizes in Indus River

19 women were killed and several others are missing after a boat capsized in the Indus River near Machka, approximately 65km from Rahim Yar Khan on Monday. According to Dawn, around 100 passengers who were part of a wedding party were on board.

They were returning from Rajanpur to Machka when the incident occurred, Rahim Yar Khan Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza said. The passengers, he said, belonged to the Solangi clan, adding that the boat capsized due to “overloading and high flow of water”.

The DC said that immediately after the incident was reported, 30 rescuers, five ambulances, and a water rescue van arrived at the spot, reported Dawn. “Nineteen bodies, all women, have been pulled from the water while a search operation is underway for the remaining passengers,” he added.

At least 35 people were rescued by the locals, police told the media. The search operation for the rest of the missing persons who are still missing is underway.

Last week, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Punjab issued an alert of heavy rains in the province from July 15 to 17 urging people to avoid going into the water. “Medium to high-level flooding is expected in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan division from July 15 to July 17,” it had noted, adding that flash floods could also be reported in rivers and nullahs. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)