Landslide, Floods Kill Nine in Gilgit-Baltistan
Nine Dead in PoK Landslide Disaster
A catastrophic landslide in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Gilgit region claimed the lives of nine volunteers and injured three others on Sunday night, August 10, 2025, as they worked to restore a flood-damaged water channel in Danyor Nullah. The tragedy, compounded by severe flash floods triggered by a glacial lake outburst from the Shishper Glacier, has wreaked havoc across Gilgit-Baltistan, damaging critical infrastructure and isolating communities.
The landslide struck late Sunday when a mass of earth collapsed, burying workers under debris. Local police reported that rescue operations, supported by residents, were launched immediately, with an emergency declared at nearby hospitals. Hospital authorities confirmed the death toll, warning that additional victims may remain trapped. The injured are under treatment, with efforts ongoing to locate others.
Simultaneously, flash floods from the Shishper Glacier’s outburst on Friday, August 8, 2025, swept away a section of the Karakoram Highway, a vital link between Pakistan and China. The floods, described as the worst in Hassanabad Nullah since 2018, destroyed protective walls, farmland, and irrigation channels, threatening over 50 homes in Aliabad and surrounding villages. Zubair Ahmed Khan, assistant director of the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), noted the unprecedented flood volume.
The deluge also blocked the Hoper Valley road, demolished a bridge in Tokorkot, and severed Shimshal Valley’s only access road, halting water supply restoration and leaving thousands without drinking water. Experts attribute the escalating disasters to accelerated glacier melt driven by record heatwaves in 2025, with temperatures in Gilgit-Baltistan nearing 48.5°C in July.
Social media on X reflects growing alarm, with #GilgitBaltistanFloods trending as users like @CapitalTVLive highlight the volunteers’ tragic deaths and @Fahad_Gabol warn of climate-driven crises. Authorities face mounting pressure to restore infrastructure and address the region’s vulnerability to glacial outbursts.
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