At least eight volunteers lost their lives and several others remain trapped after a landslide struck a flood-damaged water channel in Gilgit’s Danyor Nullah. The incident occurred while workers were repairing the channel, police confirmed on Monday.
The volunteers were restoring the damaged waterway when a sudden mass of earth collapsed, burying them under debris. Hospital officials confirmed that all the deceased were part of a local volunteer group, and three more were injured in the accident.
Authorities have declared an emergency at nearby hospitals as rescue teams continue searching for survivors. Officials fear more workers and volunteers may still be trapped beneath the rubble, increasing concerns over the situation.
Climate change has accelerated glacial melt, increasing water flow in several streams, which officials say contributed to the landslide. Recently, the Shishper glacier flooded, damaging farmland and forcing the closure of a section of the Karakoram Highway towards Hunza.
The Gilgit-Baltistan government reported that river erosion caused significant damage to the Karakoram Highway in Upper Hunza’s Morkhun area, cutting off the overland link between Pakistan and China. Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has ordered immediate restoration work.
Officials have also warned of more rains and landslides across the region, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and parts of Punjab and Balochistan. These natural events threaten to disrupt road networks and communications further, putting many communities at risk.