Devastating flash floods kill dozens, PoGB Home Minister says region lacks resources

Gilgit [PoGB] August 18 : Devastating flash floods continue to impact Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), resulting in one fatality, eight injuries, and numerous displacements. Roads and bridges have been destroyed, leaving thousands, including tourists, stranded in various locations, while electricity, mobile, and internet services have been disrupted in the area, as reported by Dawn.

Multiple regions were affected by cloudburst-induced flash floods, exacerbating the suffering of residents. The Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) reported that a nine-year-old boy sadly lost his life in a landslide while returning home from summer grazing to his village, Hanochal, in the Haramosh Valley of Gilgit, on Saturday.

In a press briefing, PoGB Home Minister Shams Lone announced that the bridge on the Baltistan Highway had been washed away, isolating four districts in Baltistan from Gilgit for the second consecutive day.

Since Friday, at least 35 lives have been lost, numerous others injured, and four individuals remain unaccounted for. "To date, 318 homes have been destroyed, and 674 others have sustained partial damage," Lone stated, highlighting that the PoGB government lacks the necessary resources to address the extensive destruction. However, he noted that military personnel are engaged in relief efforts, according to Dawn.

A section of the Naltar Highway was also swept away, leaving a significant number of tourists stranded. The flash floods in Naltar caused damage to three hydropower stations, interrupting the electricity supply to Gilgit. Residents are additionally facing a lack of drinking water. In Datuchi, Bagrot Valley, a bridge and almost a dozen houses were damaged, while in the Ghanche district, three essential bridges were destroyed, isolating several villages. Numerous homes were damaged, and 67 families in Haldi village have been relocated to tents, as reported by Dawn.

Riverbank erosion in the Guru Jaglot area of Gilgit has compromised several homes, with floodwaters inundating many residences. In Haton village, flash floods obliterated three houses, private property, crops, and farmland. Thousands of inhabitants in the Ghizer district also remain disconnected from other regions.

The Karakoram Highway (KKH) at Gulmit has been closed for several days, isolating Gojal residents and disrupting the Pakistan-China road connection.

PoGB has been experiencing an unusual heat wave since June, leading to unprecedented glacier melt. Temperatures have soared 48 per cent above normal, which has been identified as the primary factor behind the recent calamity, as reported by Dawn.

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