Gilgit-Baltistan Faces Severe Damage Following Cloudbursts and Flooding

Intense flash floods triggered by rapid glacier melting and cloudbursts have caused widespread destruction across the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, leaving local communities in urgent need of assistance.

The flooding has severely affected several areas, including Darel, Khanbari, Buttogah, Khannar, Hodur, Niat, and Thor.

Raging torrents have washed away standing crops, orchards, houses, and vast tracts of fertile agricultural land, dealing a heavy blow to the local economy.

According to ground reports, the surge in water levels has destroyed critical infrastructure, including connecting bridges, water channels, flour mills, and rural roads.

Landslides triggered by the heavy rains have also blocked the Karakoram Highway at multiple locations, suspending traffic and isolating remote villages.

Authorities noted that rising temperatures are causing glaciers to melt at an alarming rate, pushing river levels to dangerous heights.

The surge poses an immediate threat to populations living along the riverbanks, where several settlements are now at risk of being submerged.

Impacted residents have appealed to the government and disaster management agencies to launch emergency relief operations to restore essential services and provide food and shelter to those displaced by the catastrophe.