Mudslide kills seven repairing flood damage in Pakistan
Rescuers recovered the bodies after the mudslide hit the town of Danyor in Gilgit-Baltistan at dawn and transported three injured people to a hospital, said Faizullah Faraq, a regional government spokesperson.
It comes a day after a flash flood triggered by a glacial lake outburst damaged the key Karakoram Highway, which passes through Danyor, disrupting traffic and trade between Pakistan and China.
Engineers and workers were deployed along with heavy machinery to start repairs, Faraq said.
Meanwhile, several landslides near the damaged mountainous highway left homes damaged in Danyor and nearby areas as first responders evacuated those affected by the floods to safer areas, said Hassan Ali, a local police chief, adding that essential food was being provided to those displaced.
Sunday's glacial lake outburst was huge, Ali said, swelling the Hunza river and triggering flash flooding that battered crops. Authorities were still assessing the damage.
The region's Chief Minister Gulbar Khan called the seven who died "heroes who sacrificed their lives for the community" in a statement.
Gilgit-Baltistan is known for its scenic glaciers, which provide 75 per cent of the country's stored water supply, according to the region's official website.
In July, it was hit by landslides, killing 18 tourists when flash floods swept away their vehicles.
Experts say glacial lake outburst floods occur when water dammed by a glacier is suddenly released, often because ice or debris barriers collapse.
Scientists say rising temperatures linked to climate change are accelerating glacier melt in Pakistan's northern mountains, increasing both the size and number of these lakes.
A study released last week by World Weather Attribution, a network of international scientists, found rainfall from June 24 to July 23 was 10 to 15 per cent heavier because of global warming.
Pakistan produces less than one per cent of the world's greenhouse gases, but research shows it suffers disproportionately from extreme weather.
In 2022, its worst monsoon season on record killed more than 1700 people and caused an estimated $US40 billion ($A61 billion) in damage.
Rains and floods since June 26 have killed more than 300 people across Pakistan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Dozens swept away by flash floods in Pakistan
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 49 people in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere in the country in the past 24 hours. More than 360 people, mostly women and children, have died in rain-related incidents across Pakistan since June 26. Most of the latest deaths were reported in northern and northwestern Pakistan, according to local officials. At least 10 people were killed on Thursday after being swept away by flash floods in Ghazar district in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, said regional government spokesman Faizullah Faraq. Another 16 people, including women and children, also died on Thursday in Bajaur district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when a massive cloudburst led to flash flooding. Seventeen others were swept away and remain missing. Flash floods also hit Battagram, a district in the northwest, killing 10 people, government administrator Saleem Khan said. He said another 18 people were still missing. Seven more people died Thursday in separate rain-related incidents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety. Bilal Faizi, a provincial emergency service spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said rescuers worked for hours to save 1300 tourists after they were trapped by flash flooding and landslides in the Siran Valley in Mansehra district on Thursday. Faraq said Gilgit-Baltistan has been hit by multiple floods since July, triggering landslides along the Karakoram Highway, a key trade and travel route linking Pakistan and China that is used by tourists to travel to the scenic north. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement expressed his sorrow and grief over the losses and asked authorities to expedite the rescue and relief work in the flood-affected areas. Gilgit-Baltistan is also home to scenic glaciers that provide 75 per cent of Pakistan's stored water supply. Pakistan's disaster management agency has issued fresh alerts for glacial lake outburst flooding in the north, warning travellers to avoid affected areas.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Dozens swept away by flash floods in Pakistan
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 49 people in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere in the country in the past 24 hours. More than 360 people, mostly women and children, have died in rain-related incidents across Pakistan since June 26. Most of the latest deaths were reported in northern and northwestern Pakistan, according to local officials. At least 10 people were killed on Thursday after being swept away by flash floods in Ghazar district in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, said regional government spokesman Faizullah Faraq. Another 16 people, including women and children, also died on Thursday in Bajaur district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when a massive cloudburst led to flash flooding. Seventeen others were swept away and remain missing. Flash floods also hit Battagram, a district in the northwest, killing 10 people, government administrator Saleem Khan said. He said another 18 people were still missing. Seven more people died Thursday in separate rain-related incidents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety. Bilal Faizi, a provincial emergency service spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said rescuers worked for hours to save 1300 tourists after they were trapped by flash flooding and landslides in the Siran Valley in Mansehra district on Thursday. Faraq said Gilgit-Baltistan has been hit by multiple floods since July, triggering landslides along the Karakoram Highway, a key trade and travel route linking Pakistan and China that is used by tourists to travel to the scenic north. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement expressed his sorrow and grief over the losses and asked authorities to expedite the rescue and relief work in the flood-affected areas. Gilgit-Baltistan is also home to scenic glaciers that provide 75 per cent of Pakistan's stored water supply. Pakistan's disaster management agency has issued fresh alerts for glacial lake outburst flooding in the north, warning travellers to avoid affected areas.
Perth Now
11-08-2025
- Perth Now
Mudslide kills seven repairing flood damage in Pakistan
A massive mudslide has killed seven volunteers as they repaired a drainage channel damaged by flash floods in northern Pakistan, officials say. Rescuers recovered the bodies after the mudslide hit the town of Danyor in Gilgit-Baltistan at dawn and transported three injured people to a hospital, said Faizullah Faraq, a regional government spokesperson. It comes a day after a flash flood triggered by a glacial lake outburst damaged the key Karakoram Highway, which passes through Danyor, disrupting traffic and trade between Pakistan and China. Engineers and workers were deployed along with heavy machinery to start repairs, Faraq said. Meanwhile, several landslides near the damaged mountainous highway left homes damaged in Danyor and nearby areas as first responders evacuated those affected by the floods to safer areas, said Hassan Ali, a local police chief, adding that essential food was being provided to those displaced. Sunday's glacial lake outburst was huge, Ali said, swelling the Hunza river and triggering flash flooding that battered crops. Authorities were still assessing the damage. The region's Chief Minister Gulbar Khan called the seven who died "heroes who sacrificed their lives for the community" in a statement. Gilgit-Baltistan is known for its scenic glaciers, which provide 75 per cent of the country's stored water supply, according to the region's official website. In July, it was hit by landslides, killing 18 tourists when flash floods swept away their vehicles. Experts say glacial lake outburst floods occur when water dammed by a glacier is suddenly released, often because ice or debris barriers collapse. Scientists say rising temperatures linked to climate change are accelerating glacier melt in Pakistan's northern mountains, increasing both the size and number of these lakes. A study released last week by World Weather Attribution, a network of international scientists, found rainfall from June 24 to July 23 was 10 to 15 per cent heavier because of global warming. Pakistan produces less than one per cent of the world's greenhouse gases, but research shows it suffers disproportionately from extreme weather. In 2022, its worst monsoon season on record killed more than 1700 people and caused an estimated $US40 billion ($A61 billion) in damage. Rains and floods since June 26 have killed more than 300 people across Pakistan.
