GILGIT: The bodies of the five youths, who were swept away by flashfloods in Skardu on Friday, could not be traced on Sunday.

According to the local administration, the five youngsters belonging to Gultari valley of Skardu, had gone missing after a hill torrent caused by heavyrain sweptthem awayinSadpara area.

They were going to Skardu in a car, but had to abandon the car near the Sapdara village and walk as a landslide had blocked the road. But, they were hit by flashflood.

The youths were identified as Haider, Asif, Mukhtar, Zeeshan, and a son of Haider.

Following the incident, the local people and administration launched a rescue operation to trace the missing people, but so far no success had been achieved in that regard.

An official of the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) told Dawn that rain had caused flooding and landslides inBaltistan and Diamer regions.

The flashfloods damaged a number of houses in Thak village of Diamer, besides causing extensive damage to farmland, link roads and knocking down electricity supply system.

A flashflood caused destruction in Shaq Thang Mohalla of Skardu district. Two dozen houses were reported to have been damaged in the village.

The floods also wreaked havoc in Hussainabad and Gayal villages of Skardu, knocking electricity pylons, damaging a bridge, farmland and link roads.

Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Mir Gazanfar Ali Khan and Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman have directed the GBDMA to expedite relief activities in flood-affected areas.

However, opposition political parties and civil society activists condemned the government`s alleged apathy towards the flood victims.

Authorities said a rescue and rehabilitation operation was underway in flood affected areas, adding electricity supply to Gilgit had been restored.

They said relief items had been dispatched to the flood-hit areas.