Nine dead, dozens missing while climatic disasters beat Gilgit Baltistan

This photograph of document published on July 22, 2025 by the government of Gilgit-Baltistan shows army soldiers helping visitors evacuating the field of landslide in the Babusar region, Gilgit-Baltistan. – AFP
  • The chief secretary says that most of the incidents caused by the GLUF.
  • Warn the number of deaths may increase while several vehicles were missing.
  • More than 200 destroyed houses, the villages cut by the rains.

The chief secretary of the Gilgit Baltistan, Abrar Ahmed Mirza, said that the region had been seriously affected by a series of climate -oriented disasters in the past two weeks, with at least nine people have been confirmed dead, more than 200 damaged houses and a major infrastructure in ruins.

The region, nestled in northern Pakistan, has experienced extreme weather conditions, with glacial fonduses, waves of heat and strong precipitation triggering sudden floods and landslides, The news reported.

Addressing a press briefing on Thursday, the senior official said that the region initially faced the ice melting and heat waves, followed by a new rainy spell which sparked sudden floods and landslides, especially in the Diamer and Astore districts.

“From June 10 to now, we have confirmed nine deaths, including eight in the Thak and Thor valleys in Diamer, while a death was reported in the Astore valley,” he said.

The chief secretary noted that most incidents were caused by the lighting of glacial lakes (GLOF), an increasingly common phenomenon due to the increase in temperatures and climate change. “We are witnessing the impact made up of extreme heat and erratic precipitation,” he added.

He said the floods damaged around 200 houses, disturbed the roads and water canals and cut several villages in the Kharmang district, where the bridges collapsed. “The 10 districts of the Gilgit Baltistan were affected to various degrees, but Diamer remains the most difficult blow,” he said.

According to Mirza, the government has launched immediate rescue operations in collaboration with the Pakistani army, GB scouts, district administration and 1122 rescue, with the help of local volunteers. Blocked tourists were also transported by plane through army helicopters outings in inaccessible areas. He recognized that travel opinions are regularly issued in high -risk areas, but said that the public’s response remains insufficient. “People tend not to change their travel plans until the threat becomes imminent,” he said.

He also warned that the number of deaths could increase, because several vehicles are still missing, and four to five other bodies are feared to be found during the current recovery efforts. The GB government continues to assess the full scale of damage and is committed to restoring blocked routes and relieving inappropriate families.

Meanwhile, at least six people were killed and five others injured due to strong precipitation across the country in the last 24 hours, which has pushed the number of deaths in the country of monsoon fate at 258, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The agency reported on Thursday that three of the deaths had taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where five people were also injured. In addition, two people died in Islamabad and a person from the Sindh due to rain -related incidents.

Among the deceased are 89 men, 46 women and 123 children. The wounded include 243 men, 170 women and 203 children, highlighting the generalized human assessment caused by the current meteorological emergency.

The rains have also caused significant damage to properties and livestock. In the past 24 hours only, 22 houses have been destroyed and 36 livestock animals have perished. Since the start of the monsoon season, a total of 1,027 houses have been demolished by the rains, while 364 animals have died.

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