A routine community repair effort in Gilgit turned tragic on Monday when a landslide buried a group of local volunteers working to restore the flood-hit Danyor Nullah water channel. Officials confirmed that seven people lost their lives and another seven were injured in the incident.
Sudden Mudslide Strikes Restoration Work
According to Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, the group had been repairing a damaged section of the water channel when loose earth and boulders came crashing down without warning. Rescue teams managed to pull several survivors from the debris, four of them in critical condition. All the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, where emergency protocols were immediately activated.
The search operation has since concluded, Faraq said.
Disaster Amid a Season of Floods and Landslides
The accident comes during one of the deadliest monsoon seasons in recent years. Torrential rains have unleashed flash floods and landslides across Pakistan, killing more than 260 people nationwide. In Gilgit-Baltistan alone, at least 10 people had already died in rain-triggered floods last month.
Authorities say the destruction in the region has been severe — more than 300 homes destroyed, 200 partially damaged, large sections of water channels washed away, and up to 20 kilometres of roads rendered unusable. The disruption has also hit local tourism, a key economic driver for Gilgit-Baltistan.
Relief Efforts and Government Response
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the flood-hit areas of GB to distribute compensation under a Rs4 billion relief package. Families of those killed received cheques worth Rs1 million each, with the premier pledging swift restoration of damaged infrastructure.
During the visit, he warned that Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts. He called for an advanced early warning system to reduce the risk of future disasters and ordered the Communications Ministry to expedite road and channel repairs.
The prime minister also announced that a 100-megawatt solar power project for the region is expected to be completed later this year.
