• Over 50 homes destroyed in Kondus landslide
• TV anchor, family among 15 feared swept away in Babusar
• Partial reopening of Babusar Road expected today

GILGIT: People displaced by flash floods across multiple areas of Gilgit-Baltistan have complained of severe shortages of clean drinking water, electricity, road access and communication services.

Survivors in the flood-stricken Babusar and Thore valleys of Diamer said they had been hit by one of the deadliest floods in recent memory, which left many homeless and swept away their belongings.

In the Gilgit region, thousands of residents in Danyor and Sultanabad areas remained without drinking water for three consecutive days after a flash flood from Danyor Nallah damaged the main supply pipeline and several irrigation channels.

Speaking to reporters, area elders led by former GB minister Muhammad Iqbal said the government had failed to res­tore the disrupted water supply despite repeated assurances.

They said that although residents had managed to temporarily restore the pipeline, subsequent flooding destroyed it again. No restoration work has been initiated, they lamented and gave a one-day ultimatum to the government for action or they would launch protests.

Meanwhile, residents of Kondus and Haldi in Ghanche district also complained about a lack of relief supplies, electricity, drinking water and road access.

A devastating landslide in Kondus swept away over 50 homes, leaving scores of families homeless and in urgent need of food, shelter, medical care and emergency services. Locals also lamented the unavailability of the internet, making it even harder to communicate or call for help.

In the Shigar district, flash floods hit the Tisar and Garchahma areas. Resident Sajid Ali said electricity had been out for the last three to four days and that many families had evacuated their homes in search of safer ground. Drinking water was also unavailable, he added.

People in Jutal and other flood-affected regions of Gilgit-Baltistan also complained about the lack of basic facilities and criticised the government for its slow response and failure to deliver timely relief.

‘15 tourists swept away’

Meanwhile, a private TV anchor, her husband and their four children are also among the tourists reported missing in Babusar Valley, it emerged on Sunday.

Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said that the family of an anchorperson for a Pashto-language TV channel had contacted authorities, reporting that she, her husband and their four children had gone missing during the recent flash floods.

Mr Faraq said they had recovered a wallet belonging to the anchorperson, adding that the body of an unidentified woman was recovered from the Indus River in Chilas’s Minar area. The woman is believed to be among the tourists who were swept away by flash floods on Babusar Highway.

He said that according to eyewitness accounts, between 10 and 15 tourists were swept away by floodwaters on the Babusar Highway. So far, seven bodies have been recovered.

“The search for the remaining missing persons is ongoing with the help of sniffer dogs and drones and personnel from Diamer Police, Rescue 1122, the Pakistan Army and GB Scouts are participating in the operation,” he said, adding that the effort would continue until all missing individuals are located.

He said additional rescue operations were also underway in Ghanche, Ghizer and Gilgit. Human remains were also recovered during a search operation in the Thak Bhasha area of Diamer, and DNA testing will be required for identification.

Federal Secretary for Commun­ications and Works Sher Alam Masood visited the Babusar Highway site in Chilas alongside local officials to assess the damage.

He told the media that restoration efforts using heavy machinery were ongoing, with the road blocked in 15 locations and partial clearance achi­eved at 13 of them. He hoped that the highway would be partially reopened for traffic by Monday (today).

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2025