Eight Volunteers Killed In Gilgit Landslide, Rescue Efforts Under Way

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published August 11, 2025 | 12:18 PM

Police sources say volunteers were working to repair and restore a flood-damaged water channel when a large mound of earth suddenly collapsed, burying multiple people beneath it

GILGIT: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 11th, 2025) At least eight local volunteers were killed after being buried under debris when a landslide struck the Danyore stream area of Gilgit on Sunday, with fears that several others may still be trapped.

According to police sources, the volunteers were working to repair and restore a flood-damaged water channel when a large mound of earth suddenly collapsed, burying multiple people beneath it.

Hospital officials confirmed that all those killed were members of the local volunteer team, while three injured persons are receiving medical treatment.

Rescue operations are continuing, with local residents also assisting in the search for missing individuals. The district administration has declared an emergency in affected hospitals.

A spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan government said the region is facing severe impacts of climate change, with melting glaciers increasing water flow in several streams.

This has triggered flooding in the Shisper stream, causing extensive damage to nearby agricultural lands. Crops, orchards, and trees have been washed away, while a section of the Karakoram Highway has been damaged, leading to the closure of the Hunza route once again.

Due to erosion along the Karakoram Highway, traffic bound for Hunza is being diverted through the Nagar road.

The authorities have also urged residents to remain vigilant amid forecasts of further rainfall and the risk of additional landslides.