Landslide in Pakistan Highlights Climate Challenges

(MENAFN) At least seven laborers lost their lives early Monday after a landslide struck while they were working to repair a damaged water supply system in northern Pakistan.

According to an official, the victims were part of a team trying to restore a water channel in the city of Danyor, located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Local government spokesperson Faizaullah Faraq informed a news agency that the incident occurred as workers attempted to fix infrastructure damaged by recent flooding.

In addition to the fatalities, three individuals sustained injuries during the collapse.

Rescue operations took several hours as emergency teams worked tirelessly to extract the dead and wounded from beneath the rubble.

Gilgit-Baltistan, known for its breathtaking landscapes and towering peaks—five of which rise above 8,000 meters—has been severely impacted by ongoing heavy rains and flash floods since late June.

So far, 17 lives have been lost in the region, and around a dozen tourists, including a well-known television presenter, remain unaccounted for.

On Sunday, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) further devastated the area by sweeping away a portion of the Karakoram Highway, a vital route that links Pakistan with China.

The deluge also destroyed numerous homes and government offices in its path.

Nationwide, rain-related incidents since June 26 have claimed over 300 lives and injured more than 700 people, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

While monsoon rains regularly cause destruction across South Asia, the effects of climate change—such as the rapid melting of glaciers—have amplified both the severity and unpredictability of these natural disasters in recent years.

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