• Scores of residents, tourists remain stranded; flood-hit communities grapple with water, power, communication outages
• CM sets two-day deadline to reopen Baltistan Road
• Met Office warns of more heavy rain
ROAD access to several parts of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) remained cut off for a fourth consecutive day on Saturday as flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs), triggered by rapid glacier melting, continued to damage highways and hamper restoration efforts.
The continued flooding, driven by unusually high temperatures and accelerated glacier melt, has disrupted relief operations and delayed the restoration of road links to the affected areas.
Despite progress on some major highways, scores of residents and tourists remained stranded as road closures severed access to several valleys.
Flood-hit communities also continued to face shortages of drinking water, electricity and communication services after floods damaged optical fibre infrastructure.
Ataur Rehman Kakar, director general of the GB Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), said heavy machinery had been deployed and restoration work was continuing around the clock. The Karakoram Highway and the Gilgit-Shandur Road have been reopened for traffic.
However, several key routes remained closed. According to GBDMA, roads still blocked include the Haramosh Road, Naltar Road, Hisper Road, Astore Valley Road at Khachak, Hushe Valley Road at Rout Longba in Ghanche district, and Baltistan Road, which is blocked at three locations, including near Ansar Bridge.
Mr Kakar said the increasing frequency of Glofs worsened the situation this year. “Between July 18 and July 21, GB recorded unprecedented temperatures, resulting in rapid glacier melting and Glofs incidents in several areas,” he said.
High water levels and mudflows have created serious challenges for road restoration. Residents of Diamer, Astore and Ghizer complained of prolonged disruptions to essential commodities, though authorities said food, tents and medicines had been distributed.
Hisper Valley in Nagar district has remained disconnected for nearly two months after successive floods washed away its only access road.
A July 22 flood washed away approximately 1,100 feet of the Hisper Road at Apiharai and Bayo Khai, suspending all vehicular traffic, according to a GBDMA report. A temporary pedestrian track was constructed along the river to facilitate locals.
GB Chief Minister Amjad Hussain directed authorities to launch helicopter operations for rescue and relief in remote areas. He instructed officials to partially restore the Baltistan Road within two days and ensure the uninterrupted availability of food.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rain, thunderstorms and heavy falls at isolated places through July 28, raising concerns about further flooding.
Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2026