At least seven volunteers died and six were injured early on Monday when a landslide hit individuals working at a water channel in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Danyor city, rescue officials said.

The devastating impacts of climate cha­nge and melting glaciers have become more visible in GB, which has been facing heavy rains since late June.

The situation worsened when deadly floods swept across the Babusar area on July 21, causing landslides and damaging infrastructure. So far, 10 deaths have been confirmed across the region, with a dozen tourists missing.

Thirteen volunteers, mainly young people, were attempting to restore the water supply in the main water channel from Danyor nullah to Danyor town, which had been damaged due to the recent floods, when the landslide hit at 2am today.

“Thirteen volunteers restoring the water supply were buried under the rubble,” Gilgit’s Rescue 1122 said in a statement.

Stating the casualties, it said the injured were taken to a hospital. District Emergency Officer (operations) Abdul Basit was present at the site to supervise the restoration, Rescue 1122 added.

Muhammad Akbar, one of the residents who took part in the rescue operations, told Dawn.com that the bodies and injured had been moved to “various hospitals in Gilgit and Danyor”.

On July 22, a flash flood in Danyor nullah inundated residential communities and damaged crops and irrigation channels. The deluge also damaged link roads and suspension bridges, cutting road links to affected areas.

Hussain Akbar Shah, another local, said thousands of Danyor residents were facing a shortage of drinking water and irrigation water as the valley depended on water from the nullah.

A statement by the GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq stated that the total number of volunteers was 15, out of whom seven were confirmed dead.

An emergency has been declared at hospitals in Gilgit, the spokesperson added. “Our hearts are saddened by this unfortunate accident. Gilgit is in a state of mourning,” Faraq said.

Residents protest against govt ‘inaction’

Funeral prayers were later held for the volunteers who died in the incident. Residents also protested at Danyor Chowk against the incident, holding the government responsible for it.

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.

The elders noted that although residents had managed to temporarily restore the pipeline, subsequent flooding destroyed it again, while the government had not started work on it. The protesters demanded that the government take action, or they would launch protests.

GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed his condolences on the incident and announced compensation for the bereaved families.

“The families of those who died in the Danyor nullah [incident] will receive compensation as per the government policy,” CM Gulbar said, directing that the wounded be provided with the best medical treatment.

Social activist Ghulam Abbas also blamed the government’s alleged negligence, explaining that the incident might not have occurred if the government had restored the water channel.

Abbas also said that besides the seven volunteers who died in the landslide, one had lost his life due to a heart attack.

Dildar Hussain, another resident, called the incident “regrettable”. Echoing others’ complaints of damages caused by floods, he said, “No one did anything for restoration.”

“This situation is proof of government incompetence,” he said. “The responsibility for the lives lost lies with the government,” Dildar asserted.

Prominent lawyer Wazir Ibadat said that despite crops and trees being destroyed by the flooding, the water management had done nothing to restore the channel.

Ibadat said that people had to start the restoration work themselves, and as a result, precious lives were lost. He demanded an investigation into the matter and action against those responsible.

Additional input by Imtiaz Ali Taj