Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), the northernmost region of Pakistan which encompasses the epicenter of its glacial networks, is once again facing the aftereffects of devastating floods, caused by a deadly combination of monsoon excesses and rising glacial melting. Entire valleys have been washed away, bridges destroyed, and families left without homes, food, or power. What was once an occasional calamity is now becoming an annual reality — a warning sign of how the climate crisis is reshaping Pakistan’s most fragile landscapes.
In the last one week, dozens of people have been killed in GB as floods swept through the region and rivers overflowed, sweeping away many others, as well as cloudbursts that sent torrents through mountain settlements. Similarly, the bridge in Baltistan Highway and length of the Naltar Highway collapsed causing the four districts to become isolated out of Gilgit city. The Karakoram Highway at Gulmit is closed, and this is the most important trading route of Pakistan with China. Over 318 homes have been fully destroyed in valleys like Bagrot, Ghizer and Ghanche and another around 700 homes partially destroyed. Hydro power plants in Gilgit have been brought down leaving their residents without electricity and also making it hard to get clean drinking water. People have lost standing crops and families are salvaging as much as they can out of their mud-covered debris.
Human Toll in the Northern Valleys
The floods have caused lasting scars to the families living in Haramosh, Bagrot and Kharmang. Mothers haul children into higher grounds and the fathers tear through rubble trying to find the missing. There are mass funerals every day in remote valleys where the roads are too destroyed and ambulances cannot reach, and the survivors have to carry the bodies. Local officials acknowledge that they are overwhelmed. Having bridges destroyed and countryside treacherous to navigate even helicopters have been finding it hard to airlift disaster relief in a storm. Relief operations have been also called in in the form of army as bad weather has hampered rescues. A resident of Ghizer told local media, saying: We are enveloped by tragedy in every direction – mountains falling, rivers surging and no escape in sight.
According to Deedar Karim, a climate expert from GB, the devastation has changed the region in unprecedented ways:
‘’The recent floods in Gilgit-Baltistan have completely changed daily life. These floods reached areas where we have never seen flooding before—not even in the memory of our elders. Places like Danyore and Sultanabad were hit on August 21, and while people were working on water recovery, we lost eight volunteers. This has deepened psychological fears. People now live in constant anxiety. Movement is limited, and whenever there is lightning, communities fear another flood call.
Even Gulmit Gochali, a place that never witnessed floods before, faced devastation. A women-led setup there was completely washed away. These events have shaken everyone. Elders who have lived here their entire lives are in shock. Women, children, and the elderly are suffering the most, and mobility has been severely restricted.’’
He added, “Gilgit-Baltistan has been emerging as a hub for freelancing and tech initiatives, but this sector is badly impacted now. Schools in Ghizer and Ishkoman districts are also largely affected, disrupting education. The youth of GB are very active; they have launched fundraising campaigns and social media trends to support relief efforts. However, the challenges remain overwhelming. In places like Diamer, women lack even basic hygiene facilities and access to medicines.”
“The impact goes beyond GB,” he stressed. “This region is Pakistan’s water powerhouse, and its stability is critical for the country’s national and climate security. What we are witnessing highlights the urgent need to rethink our relationship with nature. Local communities must restore their connection with glaciers, lakes, and rivers if we want to survive.’’
AJK and KP Also Reeling
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) also have been devastated in the grip of this general monsoon period, even though GB is the epicenter of destruction. All roads and bridges were washed away by swollen rivers of Neelum and Leepa valleys and hundreds were temporarily put into shelters. Rough terrains and constant rains have made the rescue exercise critical, thus leaving the villages in mountains inaccessible.
In KP, flash floods and landslides have wreaked havoc across nine districts, with Buner being the hardest-hit. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), recent rains and floods have claimed 325 lives and left 156 people injured. Among the dead are 274 men, 30 women, and 21 children. The PDMA reports that 339 houses have been damaged, including 106 completely destroyed. Relief efforts are underway, with 89 trucks of essential supplies dispatched and over PKR 1.3 billion released in aid funds, including PKR 500 million specifically for Buner. Authorities have also warned of further heavy rains between August 17 and 19, with the spell expected to last until August 21.
A Nation Under Siege by Climate
Pakistan has faced such devastation before, most memorably in 2022, when monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and displaced millions. But this year’s disasters highlight an alarming trend: climate shocks are striking not only the plains but also the mountains, where fragile ecosystems are collapsing under pressure.
Experts caution that GB, which is home to more than 7,000 glaciers, is among the most susceptible areas in the world to climate change. High summer heatwaves in the region have reached almost 50 percent above normal because of rising global temperatures, which are increasing glacial melting in the region. These overflowing rivers coupled with relentless monsoon rainfall are causing fatal flash floods and glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has declared high alert warning of increased risks of landslides, and more GLOFs in the following weeks. Nevertheless, GB, in spite of recurring catastrophes, is horribly ill equipped to handle the extent of the damage caused by climate extremes.
International aid groups have urged immediate attention to GB’s plight, warning that without stronger adaptation strategies, Pakistan will continue to face recurring cycles of destruction and displacement.
Climate Change as a National Security Threat
The devastation in GB is not just a humanitarian tragedy — it is a national security crisis. With trade routes cut, hydropower damaged, and communities uprooted, the economic costs are spiraling.
Government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq said Gilgit-Baltistan has been hit by one of the worst floods in recent years, leaving 39 people dead, dozens injured, and over 1,000 houses damaged, including more than 350 completely destroyed. “Roads, bridges, mosques, schools, and water and power systems have suffered massive losses, with damages estimated between Rs. 25 to 30 billion,” he noted, adding that rescue and relief operations are underway across all divisions. “Restoration of roads, electricity, water supply, and communication lines is the government’s top priority, and all resources are being mobilized to support the victims,” he said.
For Pakistan — among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world — these disasters are no longer rare. The monsoon of 2022 submerged a third of the nation. Today, once again, entire communities in the mountains of KP, GB, and AJK are left homeless, powerless, and grieving — as the monsoon continues its unforgiving march.
Gilgit-Baltistan stands at the frontline of climate disaster, bearing the brunt of a crisis it did little to cause. As melting glaciers and heavy rains converge into a deadly cycle, the question remains: how many more valleys must drown before climate action becomes more than just rhetoric?
