GILGIT; At least seven volunteers were killed when a massive landslide struck as they were repairing a flood-damaged water channel in Gilgitâs Danyor Nullah area, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said seven others were injured in the incident and were rushed to nearby hospitals, where emergency services were promptly activated. The volunteers had been working to restore the damaged channel when a sudden mudslide buried them under tonnes of earth and rocks.
According to police, four people were pulled from the debris in critical condition during rescue operations. Faraq later confirmed that the search and rescue efforts had concluded.
The disaster comes amid a devastating monsoon spell that has triggered urban flooding, flash floods, and landslides across Pakistan, killing over 260 people nationwide, leaving others missing, and damaging key infrastructure.
Gilgit-Baltistan, home to several tourist destinations, has been among the worst-hit regions. Last month, Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan reported that at least 10 people had died and four were injured in floods caused by intense rains. He said 300 houses were destroyed, 200 were partially damaged, and between 30â40% of water channels, as well as 15â20 kilometres of roads, had been affected.
In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the region last week to distribute compensation cheques under a Rs4 billion relief package. Families of those killed received Rs1 million each, while the prime minister pledged swift restoration of damaged infrastructure.
Addressing the ceremony, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan was among the countries most affected by climate change and called for the establishment of an advanced early warning system to mitigate future disaster risks. He also directed the Minister for Communications to expedite rehabilitation work and announced that a 100-megawatt solar power project in the region would be completed this year.
