Seven volunteers were killed and three others injured early Monday when a massive mudslide struck while they were repairing a drainage channel damaged by recent flash floods in northern Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, officials said.
The mudslide hit the town of Danyor at dawn, with rescuers recovering the victims’ bodies and transporting the injured to a nearby hospital, said Faizullah Faraq, a regional government spokesperson.
The disaster followed a glacial lake outburst flood on Sunday that damaged the crucial Karakoram Highway passing through Danyor, disrupting traffic and trade between Pakistan and China. Engineers, workers, and heavy machinery were deployed to begin repairs, Faraq added.
Several landslides also occurred near the highway, damaging homes in Danyor and surrounding areas. First responders evacuated affected residents to safer locations and distributed essential food supplies, local police chief Hassan Ali said.
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Sunday’s glacial lake outburst caused the Hunza River to swell and triggered flash floods that destroyed crops. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage, Ali added.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chief Minister Gulbar Khan called the deceased “heroes who sacrificed their lives for the community” in a statement Monday.
The region is home to scenic glaciers that provide about 75 percent of Pakistan’s stored water, according to official sources. Last month, flash floods and landslides killed 18 tourists in the area.
Experts said glacial lake outburst floods occur when water trapped by glaciers is suddenly released due to collapsing ice or debris barriers. Rising temperatures linked to climate change are accelerating glacier melt in northern Pakistan, increasing the size and number of such lakes.
A recent study by World Weather Attribution found rainfall from June 24 to July 23 was 10 to 15 percent heavier due to global warming. Pakistan, which produces less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gases, suffers disproportionately from extreme weather.
In 2022, the country’s worst monsoon season killed over 1,700 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. Since June 26, rains and floods have killed more than 300 people nationwide.