GILGIT: More cloudburst-induced floods hit Ghizer and Hunza districts on Thursday, causing widespread destruction.

According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), the heavy rainfall led to flooding in Khatam village in Ghizer’s Gupis Valley, blocking the Ghizer-Shandur Road and damaging agricultural land and private properties.

The floodwaters also caused significant damage to the irrigation channel in Ghalapan village in Gojal, upper Hunza, which provides water for over 50,000 forest trees, according to residents.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government has declared 37 villages across the region as calamity-hit areas. According to a notification issued by the GB Home and Prisons Department, the affected areas include 12 villages in Diamer, nine in Gilgit, five in Ghizer, four each in Skardu and Shigar, two in Ghanche, and one each in Nagar and Kharmang.

GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said in a statement that the recent floods across Gilgit-Baltistan have caused an estimated Rs20 billion in damages. The floods have destroyed infrastructure, homes, agricultural land and public utilities.

Mr Faraq added that 22 vehicles were swept away by the floods, while 10 people, mostly tourists, have lost their lives. Four individuals have sustained injuries and between 10 and 15 tourists are still missing. Search operations are currently underway.

Over 500 homes and agricultural land, crops, roads, bridges and both public and private infrastructure have been significantly damaged.

The Gilgit-Baltistan government has initiated emergency and rehabilitation operations across the affected areas.

Pakistan has been grappling with severe flooding caused by cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) and intense monsoon rains since June. These extreme weather events have resulted in several deaths and injuries across the country, with the Gilgit-Baltistan region among the hardest hit.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2025