Climate Crisis Unfolds in Gilgit-Baltistan: Flash Floods and Unprecedented Heat Threaten Lives and Livelihoods

By Syed Shams Uddin

A deeply alarming video that surfaced on Facebook on July 22 has once again drawn public attention to the growing environmental vulnerability of Gilgit-Baltistan. The footage shows a colossal wave of floodwater—described by eyewitnesses as the largest ever—rushing through Danyore's Manogah stream and tearing past Sultanabad with ferocious intensity. Laden with mud, stones, uprooted vegetation, and other debris, the massive flood resembling a rampaging storm, struck the Hunza River at Sarwar's Khari innundating this tiny habitat by momentarily blocking the Hunza River. The waterscape of Danyore has been completely obliterated at places, as the flood first swept away the fragile piped water supply running through the nullah—on which the entire area, including Sultanabad, Muhammadabad, and central Danyore, depends. The irrigation system too has also been damaged, while other related losses are yet to be fully assessed.It is said that there has been flooding too at the adjpoining Jutal and Rahimabad nullah — a grim reflection of the accelerating impacts of climate change on the region. Since this phenomenon was confined to Danyore, Jutal, and Rahimabad — all three converging atop the mountain range — it is reasonable to infer that it may have been caused by a cloudburst. However, environmental experts are best positioned to provide a definitive explanation. Likewise, the adjoining Bagrote Valley also experienced some flooding; however, its intensity is reported to be far less severe compared to other affected areas.

The Manogah incident is not isolated. Across Gilgit-Baltistan, rivers and nullahs (mountain streams) are witnessing an unprecedented surge in water flow this summer. Experts and residents alike attribute this to the dramatic rise in regional temperatures, melting glaciers, and intensifying weather patterns, all of which are widely acknowledged consequences of global climate change.

Another video circulating on social media has further heightened public concern, capturing the alarming surge in water levels of both the Hunza and Gilgit rivers — with the Hunza River reportedly having partially eroded the Karakoram Highway, possibly in the upper reaches of Hunza.The rivers appeared to be swollen and roaring, edging dangerously close to their banks — threatening surrounding infrastructure, agricultural lands, and nearby settlements. This rise in river flow mirrors the broader environmental crisis playing out across the highlands.Additionally, Junaid Mirza documented the flooding of the Danyore nullah and shared the footage on Facebook, highlighting the severe threat posed by the torrent as it merged with the Hunza River at Sarwar’s Khari, endangering nearby land and structures.

 

Hassan Ali Altaf also shared a striking video showing a refrigerator being carried by the current of the Hunza River as it drifted beneath the RCC bridge in Danyore, while another video captured additional household items — including a gas cylinder — floating downstream.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Chilas, which recently recorded a staggering temperature of 48.5°C, the highest in the region and the second highest temperature in Pakistan this season. The brutal heatwave has not only threatened human health and agriculture but also directly contributed to a deadly sequence of natural disasters.

As a tragic aftermath of this extreme heat, a devastating cloudburst occurred at Babusar Top, triggering flash floods that struck the region a day later. These floods wreaked havoc along the strategic road corridor stretching from Thak Nallah to Jalkhad. Eyewitnesses described the devastating flood as violent and relentless—it swept away vehicles, blocked roads with debris, and, tragically, took lives. Heart-wrenching videos circulating on social media show swollen streams rushing down the mountainsides, carrying massive wooden logs and destroying everything in their path.

These increasingly frequent and intense events underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive climate resilience strategy in Gilgit-Baltistan. Despite being a region of spectacular beauty and critical ecological importance, it remains dangerously underprepared for the challenges posed by global warming and changing weather systems. The mountainous terrain, though breathtaking, makes the region particularly susceptible to flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, and road blockages — all of which can isolate communities and impede emergency response.

Policy makers, environmental agencies, and local administrations must act immediately. Key measures include:

• Developing and enforcing early warning systems across vulnerable valleys and stream zones.
• Enhancing infrastructure for flood management, including embankments and diversion channels.
• Instituting rapid-response protocols and equipping local disaster management authorities.
• Educating communities on emergency preparedness and climate-related hazards.
• Launching reforestation and watershed protection programs to reduce runoff intensity.
• Monitoring glacial melt and lake formation in real-time through satellite and drone-based surveillance.

In the face of mounting climatic threats, Gilgit-Baltistan stands at a critical juncture. Either it builds a path toward sustainable environmental management and disaster preparedness, or it continues to witness the erosion of its safety, economy, and natural heritage. The recent floods, rising river flows, and record heat should serve as a wake-up call not just for the people of the region, but for the entire nation. What happens in Gilgit-Baltistan — the rooftop of Pakistan — is a harbinger of what lies ahead in a warming world.